


Fulcrum

by mandydarlings



Series: Benefaction [3]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Angst, Benefactor, Comfort, F/M, Keelah Si'yah, Pining, Romance, Science, Slow Burn, UST, growing back together, quarian ark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2018-12-20 10:26:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11918928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandydarlings/pseuds/mandydarlings
Summary: Sara Ryder's investigation into the Benefactor leads her to enlist the help of Reyes Vidal. The two are forced to work together to discover the truth at the very heart of the Andromeda Initiative.





	1. Confrontation

The echo of her father's voice whispered in her area as she held the pistol steady at Reyes Vidal's head.  _Hand steady, even when you are scared._  Reyes watched her as he always did with a quiet appraising. She used to dream of those, to sink into them and let the troubles and world around her melt away. Now they just made her angry.

"You stole information from the Shadow Broker. Reyes." She laced her voice with authority and irritation. "Information we need.”

“Ryder,” Reyes tried rolling her name like he used to, seductive and distracting. She was lying if she didn't still feel it all. “I do not know what you are talking about.”

 _Cooperation would be in your best interests Mr. Vidal._ SAM spoke bringing a small smile to Reyes’ lips. Cocky bastard.

 “Look, if you just give me what I need I’ll leave. It the information that is on a cipher.” She bargained, her gun unwavering.

A deep breath escaped him as he reached up, unflinching as he held her gaze. He gently moved the gun away from his face as if he knew she never intended to shoot him to begin with. “This is not your way,” he said softly.

“You have no idea what I’m capable of.” She growled back at him.

“Why are you HERE, Sara?” He moved and leaned back casually against the wall as her gun was placed in it’s holster. “If my informants are to be believed, and I am a man of many talents, you are on the run from the Initiative… stole Initiative property if I remember.”

“That’s more your line of work,” She tossed his barb to the side as she looked around his apartment. “I’m doing what I do best… doing a job without Tann’s permission.”

“In the past I would have found that darling,” He purred snapping her attention back to him. “But… Ryder… we are not the same people we were.” The smile Reyes gave her was full of teeth and warning.

“I need your Shadow Broker information… inside of it there is a cipher that I can use to decrypt… an item I got my hands on.” Sara remained cool.

“What Cipher?” Reyes smirked. She could feel him toying with her. As if he had always intended to lead her back her into a cage, into a hunt. Perhaps he had been nothing more than a master playing with a puppet. She glanced at his hands against her better judgement as the memory of how clever they truly were threatened to rear its head.

“You know what I’m talking about, Reyes. Stop this, and just give me a straight answer. I have a gun, biotics, and an axe to grind with you.” Sara threatened.

“And yet the last time you were in that position you let me live.” Reyes played her. He played her instincts and her desires. He knew her in the dark corners of her soul and the drive she had. The one that said to believe even when all signs point against it.

“I didn’t want to clean the blood out of my shoes. Again.” Sara jested making light of the political situation she found herself in. “I need two things. Kaetus and the cipher. Kaetus will buy you freedom from Sloane’s aggression and the cipher will have me stepping in if the Initiative tries to come for you, and after your sniper got bagged… they will-“

“How easy you believe the things they tell you… No trust Sara? You know how I prefer the shadows.” Reyes grinned.

“So much that you want to hug your shadows and have tiny baby shadows with them and your secrets.” She blurted. There was something about him that no matter what managed to make her feel small and young.

“You want me… to just… give you what you need? After you betrayed me to Sloane?” He crossed his arms, body tensing.

“I did NOT betray you to Sloane. YOU,” She pointed at him, “didn’t trust me.”

“And you proved my distrust correct.” The words hit her like a knife. “You could have let me win the duel, even if my actions were not… Pathfinder approved. Why would I assist you now? When I have a fugitive from the Initiative in my home? I could barter you back to the Initiative… gain my people some more respectability they have been gaining here with Morda and the local bases. We don’t need…” Reyes’ eyes traced over her face, her form, everything. “You or your pittance anymore.”

“I can find the Quarian Ark.” Sara tried to hide the emotion from her voice, fought it and shoved it down as deep as it could go. “The cipher will help me translate information on the lost Quarian Buoy we’ve found.”

“We found?” His face contorted and reminded her of a Jackal. “Pathfinder, do you think all my men came here? That I don’t have them positioned in prime spots on Kadara? Do you not think I already know who has the Quarian Buoy? What would Director Tann give me knowing that his Pathfinder lied about not finding it?” Of course he was five steps ahead of her Sara looked at him defeated. This was his element, the lies, the manipulations, to survive on information. She had been naïve to believe that there would still be a bit of him that cared for her enough to help.  

“Your sniper is dead.” Sara looked up at him, defeated. “Someone on the Nexus killed him. You know why. Your agent Vouna should have arrived back here.”

That seemed to hit a cord and she thought she saw his eyebrow twitch. Had Vouna made it back? She was playing with outdated information. The last she saw the Asari was back on the Tempest. “And a full report of what happened. You interfered in-“

“Who is Doctor Zenari working with?” She interrupted. “Why did Dixon have to get killed? And why have they let you go? What does the Benefactor have on you, Reyes Vidal?”

It was a guess, a wild guess, with all this posturing and deflection it had to be more. It hit home as she saw his face, his posture change. Reyes had morphed in front of her as his eyes met hers unflinching with a coldness she had never seen. This was the part of him he hid from her, the one that calculated a sniper bullet in a dark cave, who weighed lives against information, and she knew she stood with the Charlatan. “Pathfinder,” all the familiarity gone.

“I need to know,” She pleaded. “I need to save them.” She pleaded with him. She didn’t know if she pleaded for him, or for all of those who died or would die over the promise of Andromeda. He looked like an animal about to snap and rip her to bits with his teeth.

 _Mr. Vidal,_ SAM interrupted. _The cipher is our only known hope to translate the Quarian Buoy-_

“And bring home the souls lost at sea.” Reyes shook his head and looked away from her. His hand going to his forehead. The storm raging inside of him, under his skin.

 _Mr. Vidal,_  SAM tried once more, knowing that he could find words where Sara no longer could.

“Please.” Sara begged. “Think of-“

“When you betrayed me to Sloane.” Reyes spat.

“I did not.” Sara stood firm. “If you told me… if I had known… I would have sided with you.”

“No. Sara Ryder.” Reyes whispered with all the weight of dreams long past. “You would have done what you always do... the right thing. No matter what the cost.”

Something inside her snapped. Something that made her think this man who she had loved against all reason would have seen her, but no she was the same thing to him as everyone else: a means to an end. She was the child of a pariah who hoped for more. She was exiled. She had given up everything to come to him and ask for help. It burned, it ached inside her and it clawed through her being the feeling of abandonment.

Reyes Vidal was not prepared for when her fist hit his face. He reeled back and looked up at her as the pain blossomed. Reyes looked as if he could not imagine a world where she had caused him the cuts on his body the same way she did on his soul. “I took out the Archon. I did everything the Initiative asked of me. I did EVERYTHING you asked of me, except step aside while you murdered a woman in cold blood.” Sara spat angrily as the emotions she had pressed beneath the surface came spilling out. “I should have shot you. MY team would have shot you if I did not stay their bullets. You would have left that duel in a casket if I charged that fucking...”

 _Mr. Vidal I insist you cooperate with the Pathfinder. It would be in your survivals best interest._ SAM interrupted and even then the AI couldn’t quench the biotics that began rising from her skin.

“But you didn’t.” Reyes ignored SAM watching as Sara stopped. “You didn’t then and you won’t now. You aren’t like us Sara Ryder, and I hope you never are.” The sadness within him spread across his face. “My men will open this apartment in a moment. Don’t make this harder on yourself.”

Sara watched him as he moved to where the door lock was. There were no more words she could say to him to convince him otherwise.

“They will be taking you to a cell. We will get any Initiative information out of you to secure our place on Elaaden...” Reyes gave her a smirk one that she wished she could wipe off his face. “And then we will ransom you back to the Initiative. I don’t think  _you_ will fetch a price, but that AI they didn’t remove from you might.”

_Ryder,_ _SAM interrupted her panicked thoughts._ _He is bluffing._

"I know." She replied to her AI and the man who stood staring at her as if she would run or hide. Perhaps he still cared, there was a chance she could get through to him.

Then door swung open as a few of his personal guard walked in. Whoever they were they dragged her out the door and towards the cells. Reyes watching as she went. She starred him back as if challenging him to stop whatever she would do to escape. He knew what she was capable of but, yet he didn’t warn any of the men who touched her. There was more to Reyes Vidal than she could have ever understand.

What he didn’t know was that in her pocket she had the cipher. He had given its spot away with his eyes when he entered the room. It went from where his important secrets laid to where the remainder of the mount milgrom was stored.

 _It wasn’t an act,_ SAM whispered to her on their private channel. _You wanted him to help you._

“I wanted him to want to help me.” She had given the AI a bit to digest. When it came to that smuggler she couldn’t tell which one of them was worse.

The cipher was small, and round. It reminded her of old earth USB drives for computers, although this one was far more complicated with deadlier secrets.

All she needed to do now was to leave, the same way he did all those months ago. In the night. In the dark.

 

 

A part of Sara was almost relieved to see Kaetus sleeping on the cot in the cell. In the upgrades the Collective hadn’t decided to fix the cells for this area. If she had been in charge, Sara reasoned, she wouldn’t have either. There were supplies that they would need to survive that would be first and foremost.

Cells for prisoners would come second and only out of necessity.

Nothing could prepare her for the look that Kaetus gave her as she walked into the cell. It was a bit between  _of course_ and the obvious  _what the fuck._  So she met his anticipation with “funny to meet you here.” Kaetus rolled his eyes and fell back to sleep as she slumped against the wall.

Sara watched the on goings of the guards around her over the next few hours while Kaetus slept undeterred by his new companion. Vouna, a krogan and a salarian even came by to see the new pathfinder captive. Part of her should have felt proud that she was such a big deal, but she knew after what happened that the Intiative would not bargain for her. She was as good as dead to them. If she died it would be an easier transition for the SAM node. It would slip into Cora’s mind and she would go through everything by the letter

Love was not something Sara was good at, but she did love Cora. With that responsibility Cora would be ruthless to abide by Andromeda Initiateve code. She would not wish that on her friend for all the tea on the Quarian Ark. She had to protect her, from herself.

Kaetus opened his eyes in the morning and it looked like he was still amused that she was there. “How the fuck did this end up happening?” He joked.

“Well, long story… I hopped onboard a supply route. They discovered I was not so much seeds of corn and here I am.” She joked.

“Spirits, it is no wonder Sloane didn’t like you.” Kaetus turned on his back on the cot.

“My charming personalities sometimes has many victims.” Sara joked.

“Trapped in the cage of your ex and you are still cracking jokes.” Kaetus turned and looked at her. “Makes me think of Sloane…”

Sara could feel where the conversation was going. “Kaetus, darling,” She began. “Your girl? Is crazy but she didn’t deserve to go out like... the Charlatan had planned.” She offered still not wanting to say his name.

“Sloane isn’t crazy.” Kaetus shot her down. “She’s just…”

“Extreme.” Sara looked at him. “I get it. She has been through more than I can understand… but… seriously she needs to chill… and I think I figured out how.”

Kaetus’ face changed. If he had been human he might have raised an eyebrow or a quirk to his mandibles. Sara only dated a Turian twice and was still learning all the biological differences but if she was correct… that meant he was on her side. “Sloane made a promise to me.” Sara drew his attention to her. “I get you out. She’ll help. SO you are like... my end game of this mission. If I get you out…”

“Initiative still gets what it wants from Sloane.” Kaetus spat. “After all they-“

“Nope. Kaetus. They will get it from me. If I have my way it help with trade routes between Kadara Port and Ditaeton. I don’t think your people are worth abandoning. I didn’t the first time I set down on Kadara with all the heads everywhere and I don’t now. Shit maybe what you fuckers did I would have done in your stead.”

Kaetus chucked. “You so fucking wouldn’t have.”

“No. I wouldn’t have.” She responded and then the sadness set in, “But my Father would have.”

“Your father was an asshole.” Kaetus looked at her.

“Yeah, he was.” Sara said leaning against the cell. “I worry I ended up just like him. Don’t you fucking say anything.”

“I will.” Kaetus interrupted her. “Sloane would be dead if it was your father. I knew him well enough. He would have shot both of them in cold blood to initiate a treaty between worlds.”

Sara knew what he said was true. Since joining the Andromeda Initiative she had access to more of his files. The man he had been, the father he had been, neither had lived up to his reports. It was like he was a man who lived between the words. Alec Ryder could never be contained between one word and the other.

“He wouldn’t have been able to do what you have done.” Kaetus spoke, and it hit Sara. It was like a slap across her face, she determined, a bit of realization in a way she never expected. She had always been the one in the betweens. She was a bulwark between Alec and Scott, between her mother and death. Sara had been the center of the storm as she brought them all safe to harbor. It was what she was now. Sara had taken who she was and become the center of a storm to the Heleus cluster. Sara never knew how to be any other way. She was their honor roll student, she was the class president, and leader. She was everything that made them look away from Scott living his life as he needed to.

All she wanted was to study ruins. She never expected to become them. 


	2. Exiled

Night on Elaaden was freezing. It almost reminded her of snow covered Voeld. The blanket that had been dropped unceremoniously into the cell she gave to Kaetus. From what she remembered of Turian biology he would need it more than she would. She was planning her escape.

 _Pathfinder, Scott Ryder is trying to hail you on your private line._ SAM reminded her. It wasn’t the first time her brother had tried to get a hold of her since she disappeared off the Nexus. It would only be a matter of time before the asari SAM would be able to locate her. She was rather surprised they hadn’t, which meant SAM was doing much more than he was telling her to keep her location hidden.

Tick tock, Sara thought as she palmed the tiny cipher in her coat pocket. Part of her wondered if Reyes had noticed it was missing. It was small and circular. There were strange markings on it that reminded her of what she saw on the disc itself. “Tell him I’m busy.” Sara whispered.

 _This is the third time in the past hour,_ SAM replied. _I do not think he would consider being trapped in a cell as busy. He wants to know if you are okay. Scott has noted that the Initiative has flagged their agents to apprehend you for stealing Initiative property._

Sara snorted causing Kaetus to grumble in his sleep. “Tell him I’m fine then.”

 _Your message has been passed to Scott. They are trying to use Sarissa’s SAM implant to discover our locations. I’ve been masking our signal-_ SAM began.

“I know.” Sara sighed looking at the sleeping Turian. “You done?” She looked up towards the ceiling as if there would have been a physical form for her to evaluate.

_Yes, Pathfinder. We will be reaching an optimum window shortly. If Mr. Vidal’s systems are to be believed the guard rotation is happening in 10 minutes. I must say he has made an efficient settlement system here in Elaaden._

“Good for them,” She retorted trying not to sound angry. His AI’s intrigue with Reyes Vidal was something she had gotten used to. It never made the pain lessen, but she lived and she learned how to walk with that hole in her heart.

There was a stark difference between the man and the organization she had met on Kadara and who they were now. She knew she wasn’t the woman he had met in a bar anymore. To see Reyes at the epicenter of a settlement running it almost as well as some of her own mayors made her wonder how much she knew about him at all. If this had been his ultimate goal with ruling from the shadows: a safe harbor.

Burying the train of thought deep inside she held the cipher in her hand. She had it hidden in her coat. She had no need of it anymore. All the symbols and translations it could provide now rested safely in the hands of SAM.

Kaetus snored as she loomed over him. “Wake up.” She crossed her arms. He gurgled something and rolled over, pulling the small blanket over his body. “Kaeeetusss” She sang loudly and the turian grunted.

“You are a terrible singer.” He cracked open one eye.

“Yup, time to go.” Sara gave him a toothy smile.

“How do you intend to get out of here?” Kaetus looked at her unsure of anything.

“I’m the Pathfinder. I’m going to find us a path out of her.” She joked.

“Please, never talk again.” He grumbled.

“My brother is worse than I am.” Sara winked.

“Spirits, I still can’t believe there are two of you.”

“Heleus isn’t ready for our combined Ryder efforts, now look I’m going to open the cell. SAM is going to open the door and then we’re going to have to get to my shuttle that’s in Paradise.” Sara explained.

“That’s if the Scavs haven’t ran off with it.” Kaetus grumbled. “Not everything is as _civilized_ as New Tuchanka.”

“Shhh,” She shushed him.

“Do we at least get to shoot him before we leave?”

 _That would not be wise as he is located in the main house surrounded by armored guard,_ SAM responded. _The hack is almost complete pathfinder. Cell should be opening shortly._

“What is that?” Kaetus looked at Sara as she pulled the cipher out of her coat pocket and placed it on the floor.

“Nothing that matters anymore,” Sara thought of all the secrets it might have held hidden. The language it used now laid decrypted in her mind. It was such a tiny thing, a key to her quarry. A means to an end, a tiny thing that men would and have died over. Perhaps, she reasoned, had her father lived long enough that his name would have been on the chopping block as well. She crushed it under her heel. Digging it into the floor of the cell, it crunched and broke under the pressure as Kaetus watched. “Some things are better left forgotten.”

The door opened, and they stole out into the night.

 

 

 

The cargo ship she had stolen from the Nexus was called the Ganymede. It was small as ships went, perfect for her size and a companion. Inside there had been a bit of the stolen cargo, she could see that the ship had been searched through by scavs, but nothing had been worth being taken. If only they had known where to look.

“Can you start prepping the ship for takeoff? You can also hail your girlfriend if you like?” She tossed him a playful wink. “But if you try to fly off without me I’ll tie you up and have SAM toss you out of an airlock.”

“You wouldn’t.” Kaetus chuckled as he moved into the cockpit. “And I owe you…”

Outside Sara walked towards Paradise a little ways from the ship. “SAM?” She called out to her AI.

 _The disc is still buried here._ He responded.

Dropping to her knees she quickly dug the small item up. She had sealed it in a tiny box and hid it in the sand.

 _Pathfinder_ , SAM interrupted, _Mr. Vidal has noticed you are have escaped and destroyed the cipher. He is heading this way with his men. He has also cut off my access to his security system. My last estimation is they are 10 minutes out._

“Shit.” Sara felt the dread creep up on her. “How much longer for the ship to be ready?”

 _Kaetus is an apt pilot. The Ganymede should be ready within the next five minutes._ SAM replied.

“Then we got to make them count.” She put the disc into her coat hoping that it wouldn’t be a full out chase all the way back to Kadara. Having broken and disappeared during her disciplinary period she doubt she would be able to call for help like she could have. She ran through the scenarios in her head, carefully pining one against the other. Someone in this galaxy owed her, and she hoped she could collect if she needed to.

The last thing she wanted to do was call Scott and make him chose between her and their father’s dream. In that she knew he would chose her, but their mother lay in cyro and she had promises to keep.

The ship’s engine roared to life as she raced back to the ship terrified that he would just leave her there, but yet Kaetus stood as he had on Meridian. He had an outstretched hand that helped her into the ship as it began to vibrate and move, all the startup procedures finalizing. “Assholes and elbows, Ryder.” Kaetus sat down at the pilot seat. “Buckle up.” Sara quickly sat in the copilot location and tugged on her belt.

“Ready,” Sara looked over at her companion. They gave each other a small nod before the engine roared to life. The dust cloud of incoming ships ahead of them sat on the horizon. “I’ll shoot them if I have to.”

“Won’t have to,” The Ganymede lurched forward, sand falling off the landing gear as the thrusters lit up and rocketed the ship forward and towards the night’s sky ahead.

 

 

 _Sara, Scott is signaling you on your private line._ Kadara was a few hours away and she had ignored the calls of her brother for long enough. Kaetus was at the helm as she snuck into the back to talk to him. She reluctantly let SAM filter the signal through her omni-tool. The face of her brother popped up in front of her. He looked frantic and angry.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” Scott immediately began laying into her. “You broke your disciplinary actions. They said you stole a ship, and that you are now a suspect for aiding and abetting!”

“Is this line being monitored SAM?” Sara asked.

 _No_ , he responded in their private channel. That was good, she reasoned, Scott had loved her enough to not sell her out. “I did steal a ship, I guess you can consider assisting the escape of an exile as part of the latter thing… I need you to trust me.” She begged.

“What is going on, Sara? This isn’t like you.” Scott’s face was exhausted from worry. They were both so tired of being one step further away from each other.

“I found a way to get the Quarian Ark location.” She offered. “I had to do something on my own to get it. Sloane has it, and she wasn’t giving it up without a fight. I reasoned with her.”

“So that was that phone call you didn’t want anyone to hear, shit, Sara I thought you went crazy.” Scott ran his hand through his hair, rumpling the red curls. “I thought maybe you were dead and SAM was ignoring my hails.”

“No, I’m very much alive. I promise.” She offered him.

Scott’s mouth formed a fine line. “I hear you pissed off the Charlatan.”

“Yeah, you could say that.” Sara sighed. “I have to go. We need to hit planet side to refuel, but I promise when this is all done I’ll tell you everything.”

“Okay.” Scott breathed out.

“Not going to talk me out of it?” Sara was confused.

“You don’t change your mind once you’ve made it up. Just be careful. I don’t want mom to wake up without you there.” Scott’s eyes were droopy and tired. He must have been scouring everything he could to find out anything at all about what she had been up to. “I hope you punched him.”

“I did.” Sara smiled.

“Be safe, little sister.”

“You too, little brother.”

The line went dead. She hit the com button “Kaetus?”

“Yep?” Kaetus’ voice filled the cargo bay.

“I need to look into something are you going to be okay at the helm?” Sara asked.

“Yeah, I’m on my way home. I’ll be fine.” She could hear the relief in his voice, like an entire world of rage and guilt had left his body. Sara thought of Scott and her mother whenever the word ‘home’ came around. It had always been them.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the disc. “SAM can you run the cipher?”

 _Of course, Pathfinder._ SAM responded.

“Are you sure you even should be calling me that?” Sara took out a connector from one of the engineering toolboxes and quickly connected it from the disc to her Omni-tool.

 _Until you are officially stripped of your title you are the Pathfinder,_ SAM chirped proudly.

“Thanks buddy,” She almost rolled her eyes at his assessment. The disc sprung to life and her Omni-tool pinged as it downloaded and translated the files on the disc. Images appeared, some of them looked like the golden worlds they had been promised, others were personnel files for every member of the initiative, blackmail dockets, Jien Garson’s notes about recruitment, and more than she could possibly read in a lifetime. “Anything on Doctor Zenari?”

 _Yes, she was an engineer on Illium until she was recruited into the Initiative. She had worked with robotics and had an interest in the Geth. She had written several papers on the species._ SAM reported. _And she is an agent of the Benefactor._

“Really? So you are saying this has the dockets of who is and is not with the-“

 _Not entirely, Zenari I think wanted you to see this._ SAM thought carefully. _I do not understand why she wanted you to have this._

“Keep looking, maybe the reason is in there.” She pulled up more folders. “This is the early ship schematics.” She looked at one of the Hyperion. “That doesn’t look right.” She squinted her eyes at it.

 _These do not match the finalized maps for the Arks._ SAM analyzed the data. _Pathfinder, I think I found the file you need._

“Okay, hit me I can’t handle much more suspense.” Sara tried to chuckle. It sounded more pathetic than she intended.

_It is the rest of that file we were able to scrub earlier._

“EXO?” Sara asked.

_Yes, PROJECT EXODUS._

Sara felt nervous. She wondered if this was what it was like to be Reyes or the Shadow Broker. If she could touch all the secrets in the universe and hold them in her hand like diamonds. She pulled up the file. It was an image of the Nexus with all four arks attached. It looked beautiful and full of hope. They were the chosen people following Jien Garson to a promised land.

There were so many files there. She clicked on one and it was a profile of Jien, but it was done by another person. It had her strengths, her weaknesses, and a list of how to blackmail her. Sara swallowed as she looked over the Andromeda Initiative’s dirty secrets, all the things she had done as a child in her ill begotten youth, the deals she had made with the shadow broker and the soul she had sold to the Benefactor.

“Holy shit,” Sara gasped. It was like listening to her father’s logs all over again. To see everything she knew through different eyes. Another file popped up and Sara had to stop herself from throwing up. It was Jien Garson’s dead body. “They killed her because they were afraid she’d tell people. What were they so afraid of?”

 _Pathfinder, our ETA to Kadara is an hour,_ SAM reminded her. _I believe this is only part of the Benefactors full access._

“Thanks, I’m going to keep going over these files. Can you flag anything that you think is important?” Sara opened another file and became absorbed. “These are the reports from the attack on the Citadel.” She remembered the fear. Her mother was still alive then and they had been separated. The details did not match up with the reports. The images of Commander Shepard and her crew in the aftermath were terrifying.

Images of the Reaper they had seen, and images of the collectors opened in quick succession. Files, upon files of them. Dossiers of Shepard’s crew members during the Collectors assaults on human colonies. She remembered hearing about the attacks on Horizon while they were training to leave. She swallowed going further. She didn’t want to stop reading as they approached Kadara Port. “Ryder?” Kaetus called to her from the cockpit.

“Yeah?” Sara responded as he drew her from her thoughts.

“We’re about 15 minutes out. Make sure you are secured for descent. Sloane is going to meet us at the docks.” Kaetus said over the intercom.

In another life they might have worked together flawlessly. She opened up another file while the ship shook around her in their descent. This file had images and notes about the destruction in Bahak. It was sent after their ships had hit the black. She looked at the casualty list. She listened to the audio files as thousands if not millions of lives blinked out of existence. She was selfish and she was cruel in that moment, the only moment she would allow herself to have. Whoever the Benefactor was they made the hard calculations as she watched the destruction of a civilization.

This is why they moved up the timeline. These THINGS were why they shot to the universe in hope to escape. Whoever they were knew that the darkness was coming and chose to flee and preserve instead of stay and fight. She hated them and loved then in all equal measures as more images of the beginning of the Reaper invasion filled her scream. She cried for them. She sobbed for all those left behind. She hopped they had stopped them. She hoped they won. The last reaper vid came up and it was Vancouver. She saw them descend. She saw them scream, and hell followed with them.

 

 

Kaetus placed a talon on her shoulder shaking her from her thoughts. “Sorry,” she offered. He looked at her with concern as she stood up and brushed her coat.

“Lets go see your lady.” She gave Kaetus a wink that betrayed how lost she felt.

“Are you... you okay?” He gave her a once over as she shook her head. She remembered what her father said about acting like everything was okay when it clearly wasn’t. They disembarked the tiny ship and found Sloane waiting for them.

Sloane was an asshole. Sara had known that the minute she saw her all those months ago, but now she saw the person as Sloane’s eyes met Kaetus.’ The months apart drifting away as Sloane walked up to them as her composure held fast. “Kaetus, Pathfinder.” She looked over at her. “I guess not so much if gossip is to be believed.”

“Eh, fuck those guys.” She shrugged. Sloane almost cracked a smile. Almost.

“I have what you need.” Sloane said softly.

“I’m going to leave shortly, but take your time.” She smiled softly at them. Maybe it had been all that bitch work she had done for them, maybe it was everything she done for their planet, but she watched Kaetus wrap Sloane into an embrace. Sloane melted into it as if they were only one person. She felt a familiar ache in her heart. She thought of an angry man on another planet as she swallowed her heart down.

“Gross.” She joked and they didn’t heed her.

Letting them have their reunion she walked away down past the docks. There were still people who followed her the minute she was in the port. She ignored them as she made her way into Kralla’s song and ordered a drink.

Some time later Sloane came by herself.

Sara knew she was there before Sloane appeared. The crowd parted and the joyous cries of debauchery muffled as the self-proclaimed Queen of Kadara came to her. “I have the buoy for you.” She said to the point. Sara could respect that she was becoming less a woman of words with every passing vid she watched.

“I’ll find them. I’ll save them. I’ll bring them to safe harbor.” Sara promised. She didn’t know if she meant Sloane or herself.

“Just make sure they pay their drinks and keep paying their fucking fees, Princess.” Sloane growled as the files transferred to Sara.

“No,” Sara turned to her. Sloane paled. There was something in Sara’s face. She was wild and untamed and fearful. There was something in the look she gave Sloane that made her take a step back.

“No?” Sloane used every ounce of decorum she had not to punch Sara. Sara could tell by the way her face moved, every muscle strained over the urge. The way her hand curled tightly. 

“No. No more fees. You can do taxes on trade imports like a regular goddamn port, but no more fees or I’ll make you wish you stayed back in the Milky Way.” Sara spat. Sloane eyed her. Sloane had never once feared her from the moment she had stepped on the planet on the first time, but now? Sloane was a frightened beast in a trap with an opponent who knew the true odds. "I doubt the Initiative would be pleased to know you have had the Buoy the entire time."

“Will the Initiative accept those terms?” Sloane sneered. "I'm sure once their boots coming pounding through our door."

“They better if they know what’s good for them. A functioning port with proper taxation on imports works better than intimidation, Sloane Kelly. If you don’t want to lead then get the fuck out.” Sara turned and looked her dead in the eyes. “Go be a pirate or live on your own terms. Don’t make others suffer. Kaetus deserves better than the remnants of your anger.”

“How fucking dare you.” Sloane spat. She was a wounded animal and tried lashing out as Sara grabbed her arm.

“Jien,” she said softly and the fight went out of Sloane completely, “she saw something in you. Be the person she believed in.”

“Jien’s dead.” Sloane growled.

“But you are not, and we carry the legacy of the dead.” Sara looked her dead in the eyes. “Be better. I’m going to save the Quarian Ark. I’m going to bring the rest of our people home, and I want YOU to be able to give them a safe harbor should they need it.”

“What if I don’t want them?” Sloane crossed her arms as the rest of the bar patrons backed away.

“Then you are a fool.” Sara said paying her tab and walking away.

“Who shoved a pole up your ass?” She heard Sloane mock as she walked away. Sara didn’t have time for this. Not anymore.

 

 

Inside of the Ganymede she poured over more files. They covered up until a few months after they left the Milky Way. She scoured over the transmissions from Earth and Palaven. Sara didn’t hear the door to the shuttle open as she clicked another file. She didn’t bother with the footsteps as she opened another folder. She was comparing the Quarian Ark signal to the cipher patterns she had cultivated. There was the signal in the location.

Then there was a signal in the sound. She ran the pattern over and over through the Cipher.  _Come alone_ the pattern said along with the coordinates of a nearby cluster. "Antiope," Sara whispered.

The chill slowly crept up her spine as the message repeated. She knew where they were. She could find them if she got the Tempest on her side. She could do this and earn her way back into their good graces. Scott would understand. Cora would be like pulling teeth but she would go along with it.

Cold steel found it's way against the base of her skull as she froze. "Stand up," a familiar voice came from behind her. Sara obeyed the commands putting her arms up at her side proving she was unarmed. "Turn around." 

Her eyes met Reyes Vidal's as he looked at her like a stranger. She swallowed turning over anything to say now she was so close to getting what she needed. "No, you look like you are waiting for someone?" She played it light.

"Pathfinder," he purred unmoved, "I believe we are long past games."


	3. Static

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> finally got these two idiots talking.

He had held the broken cipher in his hand. It was a small object, one that he earned his call sign Anubis to get. It contained a decoder for the programs that his former employer had used to share secrets. It helped translate signals and transfer messages over great distances. It was such a small item that could lay waste to governments and cause war even now. It was the item he had used to buy his way into the Andromeda Initiative. The cipher he showed them how to use and share for their own purposes. The last key to any leverage he had in this rotten galaxy.

“All of that drama for this little thing?" Vouna, his asari technician scoffed as she worked to repair the firewalls on his home. 

“It seems as if the Pathfinder does not know how to handle treasures properly.” He frowned his lips forming a line. There would be no recovery to the data he lost. Sara was a clever girl and would have had SAM have at least one back up. It would also be stored in the databases of an AI. There would be no recovery of the item in his hand. "Prepare my ship." She had his information, the sum of his secrets.

“Boss, don't.” Vouna turned to look at him, her ancient eyes looking at him like a child. “Their pattern is pointing back to Kadara Port and we all know that bitch would just die if the Charlatan waltzed right back up her front door.. and don't even get me started on your girlfriend...”

"Sara is not my girlfriend," he purred placing a hand on her arm, drawing her attention away from the problem at hand. "I believe we can both agree that this... insult... would require more of a personal touch."

"Just don't go killing the Pathfinder," Vouna moved away from him, "last thing we need is more initiative brats breathing down our necks as we try to get back up and running."

"I wouldn't worry about them," He sighed looking over the system in front of him, "did you not think there is a reason they never truly interfered before? It was never fear of Sloane." The Asari, over 500 years his senior, looked at the man in front of her like she had never seen him before, and now that she did the terror crept over her.

 

 

Sneaking into Kadara Port as the sun began setting was as familiar as returning to an old lover The alleys and dark corners of the port city were as familiar to him as wounds on his hands. There were fewer of his people around the port city, but there were the undetected loyalists that stood their ground and in plain sight as he walked in wearing a familiar outcast uniform. 

He had it tailored to him after Meridian. His face covered and his credentials covered he slipped into the docks like an old lover. There she was, his ship. She was a small cargo ship he had made his own adjustments to. He wanted her back just as much as he wanted the information Sara had stolen from him. The lock was easy enough to open that he was almost embarrassed for the SAM unit. The Pathfinder and her AI still too trusting of the world around them.

He fought the hot urge to protect her against the universe's baser instincts. Reyes ran his hand against the cool steel of the interior of the ship. He found a place where he could hide and wait for his mark to appear.

 

 

Sara's eyes held his as he held the barrel of his gun to her head. "We are well past games." He purred, "you broke my cipher Ryder." His eyes traveling away from the woman to to the satellite buoy at her feet. Her omni tool's feed was live with images of destruction and screaming. His gaze flicked from the images and back to her.

Her breath stuttered with the sound of screaming filling the room. Her eyes moving from Reyes to the omni took. "SAM, please turn my omni tool off before Reyes decides to shoot me."

A part of him wanted to smile that even in this circumstance her bravado never failed. "Now, Ryder, I just want what you stole from me."

"But I broke it." She looked at him incredulously. 

"SAM?" Reyes' grinned.

"Don't you dare, SAM." Sara scowled looking at the gun.

"Of course you made a back up." He smirked at her and he could see the irritation fill her face. "You may not be ready for the life of a smuggler but I doubt you would destroy all that information. After all you are a digger."

"Why are you here, Reyes?" She slowly began to lower her hands calling his bluff. 

"Hands back up." He couldn't afford playfulness. "I want what you stole, and since I'm here I would like all the information from the Quarian Buoy."

"No." Sara stood like iron against him.

"You break into not only my city, but my apartment... you steal MY cipher that I've used to buy my way here to Andromeda. You destroy it and now you have the data that was on it as well as all the delicious secrets on the Quarian Satellite Buoy.. and you expect me to not come for you? I hear you are even a traitor to the Initiative. I wonder what reward my people and I would receive to return you to them? What would your brother do to know his sister is alive?" His threat was quiet and he could see her hyper active mind realize all that would entail, or perhaps her AI was doing him a kindness. 

"Sloane-" She began and it almost felt like a slap to his face. "She'll find you. She'll kill you."

"I do not believe you quite understand that subtlety and the game is not one of Sloane's... finer points. She'll try but my people are still on the station, they still know who is King." He adjusted his uniform feeling it too smaller for him.

"Thought you preferred the Shadows, Reyes." Her jib didn't hit the mark as she hoped.

 _Mr. Vidal, Pathfinder_ SAM interrupted them, and a part of Reyes was glad to hear it refer to him with such familiarity even after all that had occurred over the last few days.  _I have traced the Coordinates for the Quarian Ark._

Panic must have shown on his face and Sara seized her chance, grabbing him by his gun wrist and twisting. She used her small body to her advantage to land a blow to his side. She may move like a bludgeon but he had speed an finesse as he turned her momentum against her pining her in his arms with her back flush against his chest. His own arms struggling to pin her against him. Within a moment she slammed her own head against his face and he could feel the blood rush from his nose. "Would you please stop that..." he growled into her ear as she struggled.

She was breathing heavily considering their very deeply interesting position.Reyes could almost hear her heart pounding against her chest. Sara sighed and ceased struggling. "If you answer some of my questions I will consider not head butting or maiming you in any fashion."

Reyes slowly released her and raised his finger to stop the blood flow out of his nose. "You must be part Krogan. I am sure of it."

"Drack would be proud." Sara said quietly turning to a first aid kit. 

"You stole something very important to me, Sara." He gave her more in that statement then she would ever understand.

"Well considering the last time I saw you-" He growled and she stopped that train of thought, he did not feel like repeating their prior conversation. 

"SAM?" Reyes asked.

 _Yes, Mr. Vidal?_ SAM's voice cleared any remaining tension.

"Did you just take the information from the Cipher, or-" Reyes said hesitantly.

 _There was a complete transfer from the Cipher and data contained therein._ SAM replied and surprise appeared on Sara's face.

"I needed it to decode the message in the Quarian Buoy." Sara explained softly and Reyes looked. There must have been something that cracked on his face. "I have only looked at the information I've got from the distress buoy. I didn't.. I didn't know there was.. more..."

 

 

“You could be lying.” He leveled.

“That is your thing." Sara stopped, her nose scrunching in the way that reminded him of when he first met her. When she didn't know what he was, or before he kissed her on the docks. "I still need the cipher."

Reyes stepped into her bubble and he could see her take step back against the steel wall of the ship. He raised his hand and took her omni tool in it gently. He tapped her wrist. "I will let you live, if you assist me... with something... You are going to give me your help to take Kadara port.” Reyes smirked as the shock fell on Sara’s face “and then I will fill in the answers that you seek. There are things that aren't on the Cipher... or in my files.” He leaned in close, the shadows falling across his face as he gently tapped the side of his head. 

“Okay, first off, that won’t work.” Sara growled and moved away from him. “The Initiative would have my hide even after attempt. It would make me look like I was working with the Collective all along.”

“This is not my problem, Pathfinder.”Reyes moved away from her and towards where he had dropped his gun, swooping it up and giving her a generous look at him. He could almost feel her blushing behind him.

“What about that port you have on Elaaden?” Sara muttered, “Cynopolis?”

“What can I say, I’m a greedy man.” Reyes grinned putting his gun away in its holster. 

“No, the Quarian Ark should be our priority Reyes!” Sara grabbed his wrist drawing his attention back to her. “I also may have just yelled at Sloane to not murder people and I absolutely cannot break this trust I've finally started building with her. She gave me the Buoy and I'm going to help her..”

Hiding his amusement he made a mental note to see if Keema had the vid of it later. He would enjoy that almost as much as he did watching Sloane and Sara's first meeting. "What," he leaned closer to her, ”are you going to help her with?

Sara swallowed. "Jien Garson was her friend. She only helped me because of her. I- She didn't ask me... but someone... someone killed Jien Garson. I'm going to find out who... and then maybe help bridge the gap between the Outcasts and the Initiative and that is NOT worth your little pissing contest."

"Oh, Ryder, still trying to see the good in everyone..." Reyes sighed. 

"I thought I saw the good in you." She released his hand, her words barely above a whisper but they stung all the same.

"Let's play a game." He leaned against the nearby wall, grinning at her.

"Reyes..." Sara said softly.

"Ask a question... get an answer." He gave him his most debonair grin, one that had wrested better men, women, and other out of their most iron clad panties.

 _You are one of the Shadow Broker agents,_ SAM interrupted as Sara flushed bright red. He smiled knowing there had been a conversation between Sara's own biology and the AI.  _Do you know Doctor's Zenari's involvement with the Benefactor?_

 

Reyes thought a moment, running his mind through all the known agents. “I’m not one of the Benefactor’s men. I’m more of an... independent contractor.” Reyes explained. "Some of them  I didn't get involved with."

“Like you didn’t get involved with the collective and the outcasts,” Sara shot him a look.

 

“Have you considered that you would be walking into a trap?” Reyes tried a different tactic. "And this is what Zenari was planning all along?"

 

 _"_ And have either of you recognized that I haven't agreed to this?" Sara folded her arms scowling at Reyes and he had to do his best not to laugh.

 _Pathfinder._ SAM spoke up breaking his train of thought. _Sloane Kelly has been alerted to the presence of Mr. Vidal._

 _“_ Shit.” Reyes swore.

“Can we get him to his ship without Sloane finding out?” Sara asked SAM, Reyes’ eyes snapping to her. “Consider us even.”

“Not very likely, Pathfinder,” giving her a playful smile. "You owe me."

 _Negative, Pathfinder, the Outcasts will be approaching the ship Thanatos shortly._ Sara’s lips pursed.

“You always make everything much more complicated.” She scowled at him.

“Says the woman getting involved with the Benefactor,” Reyes grumbled.

“I have to save the Quarian Ark, with or without the Initiative help. They wouldn't let me do an investigation and ya know what... ” Sara fiddled with her jacket and headed towards the front of the ship. “If I manage to get there without them I have a chance to see the Benefactor myself. Whoever they are they are either fishing for a Pathfinder or for a punch to the face.”

“Are you sure… they would be there?” Reyes pushed off the side of the ship to follow her. He leaned against the entrance to the cockpit as she plopped unceremoniously onto the pilot seat.

“You have a choice… I drop you off at Elaaden or I bring you to Diteon and you can work with… whoever to get your ship back.” Sara said exhausted.

“With SAM’s help we would easily be able to get the ship back.” He pointed out. “Wait until she impounds it work with my contacts in Kadara and your AI and it will be just like we’re partners in crime.”

Sara mulled over his offer. “But you would have to work with me.”

“You are a bonus, as long as you moved back your threats upon my person,” Reyes sat in the co-pilot seat taking his chances. “You already offered to drop me off, this would just be… a slight detour.”

“That is not what detour means, Reyes.” She sighed and began signaling departure to the port. “But I can at least get you out of here while you provide me one damn good reason why I should help you steal a ship?”

“Its MY ship.” Reyes responded, “she is precious to me.”

“Uh, huh?” Sara looked over at him skeptic. “More than whiskey?”

“More than whiskey,” He shot her a look that made her blush and turn away quickly. No doubt thinking of the memory they both shared of a night in the stars. “You aid in my rescue mission… I will answer one of your questions you asked me.”

“Deal.” Sara smirked as the engine roared to life. “Don’t make me regret this.”

"Would I lie?" Reyes grinned, he couldn't help himself.

She grunted in his direction clearly annoyed at his question. She was so easy to get under the skin of. He leaned back in the copilot chair. Reyes usually preferred to be the one flying. He loved the thrill of it, the taste of it as a ship climbed into the stars. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10/30 - Updated. I did some major dialogue changes, added a fight, and added some more clarity and exposition.


	4. Compartment

Anxious had been her default setting since landing in Andromeda. She was trying to pointedly not look in the direction of the man sitting to her right. The situation was an improvement over holding a gun at each other, but the lighting under her skin refused to abate. The tiny worry that this was just another manipulation tickled in the back of her mind. She had snuck into Sloane’s things before, usually with Reyes’ assistance, but the burn of the cave still lingered.

Kaetus just returned and as much as she hated the visual that now sat in her mind she figured Sloane might be a little too busy to notice her help him slip in and out with his ship. The political situation in Kadara was still raw even after the events at Draulir. She got the buoy she should just go straight to the Initiative, grovel, get her ship back and go. Leave him sitting in the dust where he and his lies belong.

But the itch to know more about the Benefactor, to give her more of a stance when she enters the Quarian Ship… what was a little larceny with friends. “The coordinates you gave me put them right out of Diteon.”

“So it would seem,” Reyes sounded bored as he lounged against the chair, like a cat waiting for it’s next meal.

“A little more to go on Reyes?” She grumbled.

“No,” Reyes replied breezily.

“So, so helpful.” Sara rolled her eyes, “You do know Sloane posted your face… everywhere?”

“I have heard as much,” He evaded her question.

“You know I stole this ship to go after you in Elaaden?” She pressed.

“That was a rumor that floated around.” Reyes looked out the port of the ship as the Kadara landscape passed.

“I’m going to need an excuse of WHY I’m landing in an Andromeda Initiative settlement, with a stolen ship, and the Charlatan.” She gave him a pointed look.

_Pathfinder, if I may…_ SAM interrupted. _I have delivered a document implicating that you are here on a top secret mission for the Initiative regarding the contents of a nearby cave._

“I love you SAM,” Sara smiled widely. “Will they be able to trace that back to you?”

_Unless one of the other SAM nodes catch wind of it or Mayor Tate disputes the document then it is highly unlikely._ For an AI he sounded oddly proud of himself.

“And for Mr. Charlatan?” Sara asked while Reyes bawked at the name.

_There are Andromeda Initiative uniforms in the back of ship that can be utilized. By my approximation based on height and size there are several that should fit._

“Thank you, Mr. SAM.” Reyes grinned getting up. “Glad you are on my side.”

_Assisting you directly benefits Ryder’s and my investigation into the Benefactor. For you to be caught now would be us losing a value asset._ SAM explained.

“See I’m an asset.” Reyes gave her a wink before disappearing into the back. She watched him opening some of the lockers looking for what he needed. He didn’t seem to know she was watching him, or maybe he did as he reached into one of the overhead storage bins his flight suit straining against his bicep.

_Pathfinder,_ _there is a rise of dopamine, oxy-_

“Sam, we are noping out of that conversation.” Sara hissed as her face flushed turned back to the front of the ship and fiddled with her omni-tool.

_Perhaps you should put on your combat gear the area Mr Vidal has mapped out is still known for its raider attacks as well as an Outcast outlet being built. That is where the Thanatos is being kept... Records indicate that the ship arrived there less than 15 minutes prior to our arrival at Diteon._

Sighing she rose from her pilot seat and into the back of the ship where she had smuggled her combat gear. Reyes was watching her cautiously out of the corner of his eye as he was stripping down to put on the Andromeda Initiative under suit and gear showing an expanse of his upper shoulders as he slid the under suit on. Eyes forward, Sara reminded herself as she walked past him.

Deep breaths, she reminded herself. She was the human Pathfinder. She was professional. She removed the black coat she had been wearing over her flight suit and hung it up in the locker on the Ganymede she had claimed as her own. It lacked any of the personal touches she loved on the Tempest, but for now it would do. She quickly and precisely snapped her combat plates into place, and took the time to pin her long red hair back. Looking over at Reyes she could see him struggling with some of the clasps.

“Need some help?” She asked.

“Do not mock me I haven’t worn combat armor since…” Reyes stopped realizing he was saying more than he meant. His deft fingers fumbled once more with a seal and he looked at her. “Please, and we never speak of this to anyone.”

“I don’t know,” She bit her lower lip teasing him. “It’s kind of fun not seeing the Charlatan all cool and composed.”

Moving with military procession she sealed up the snaps and clasps easily. She focused on the task at hand instead of the intensity of his gaze, the smell of smoke and a hint of whiskey faintly on his skin, that scent that was undeniably Reyes Vidal. “There.” She patted his chest armor. “All done.”

“These uniforms are ridiculous and overly complicated.” Reyes complained.

_Mr. Vidal signs indicate that you are experiencing a shortness of breath._ SAM replied cheerfully. _I can pull up your records to see if this is a symptom of Asthma, Inhalation Injury, or an Allergic Reaction upon many other serious medical conditions._

Reyes opened his mouth to say something then closed it immediately. His brow furrowed and he looked at Sara helplessly as she just shrugged. “He is learning about the human experience and right now he is currently focused on biological changes. You should see hear when I play poker with Gil.”

_Ryder is a terrible at poker._ SAM replied evenly.

“Shut up, SAM.” Sara retorted. “Helmet on.”

“But my hair…”

“Don’t make me use my Pathfinder voice… now I need to go land a plane.” She turned on her heel and walked towards the controls setting the thrusters to forward and hailing Diteon about their upcoming visitors.

 

Christmas Tate met them at the landing pad. She was all suited up in her Andromeda Initiative gear as the older man approached her. He smiled, despite what the Initiative had to say about her lately she was glad she had such a relationship with the heads of all the settlement. “And there is the Pathfinder. You should hear what they are saying about you on the net.” He joked with her.

“Yeah, yeah I know. You should see who they say I’m in a romantic relationship with this week. Apparently my whole ship is a giant soap opera.” She laughed as she shook his hand. “Did you read the dossier that was sent to you?”

“Secret channels,” He looked gravely serious for a moment. “I hope you and your… associate.” He looked at Reyes who could have passed for any of her human squad mates in that gear. “Find what you are looking for.”

“You and I both,” She sighed, “one thing breaks and they send me out to fix it.”

“You ever gonna have a vacation Pathfinder?” Christmas Tate asked walking them towards the edge of the settlement.

“I don’t know. Hiding in the jungle on Havarl seems like a good idea.” Sara got him to laugh.

“You would probably be eaten by the animals there. The visiting Angaraans like to tell us stories of the great beasts. Have you met Keema Dohgrun?” That caused her to pay attention.

“Yeah, Keema and I have met.” She responded.

“She always has the best stories, and wine. Last time she was here to establish trade routes with the port… the deal went sour, not because of her,” He said pointedly. “Have you been hearing the rumors from here?”

“What do you need me to look at?” The last time he asked anything of her she came face to face with an Architect. She wasn’t looking forward to potentially doing that again without her crew mates with her. She knew Vidal would be capable but even all of them working together were almost not enough.

“I hope you don’t think I’m out of line with this Pathfinder,” He looked over at Reyes as if the man might report to his superiors any of this.

“He’s with me.” Sara straightened her back. “I trust him.”

Christmas Tate let out of a breath. “I now the Initiative likes it to look that there is a good trade and relationship with the port, but her safety fee on us has been increasing. There are patrols out here at night of strange men. There has been no deaths or abductions, yet. Supplies have gone missing.”

“What kind of supplies?” Sara asked.

“Weaponry, our quartermaster is having a hell of a time keeping hold of things. I can give you the coordinates to a few of the nearby raider bases. We suspect they are the ones who have been hitting us.”

“I’ll check it out.” Sara promised, “I have some other business here first but I will help.”

The old man nodded, “thanks. Sometimes I feel that the higher ups really just want this settlement to fail.”

 

 

“You couldn’t have borrowed a rover?” Reyes complained as they walked further away from the settlement.

“The less of me stealing from the Initiative property the better,” Sara huffed, ignoring how uncomfortable this entire thing was.

“We wouldn’t steal it…” Reyes reasoned, “we would borrow with the intent on returning it.”

“If this goes according to plan that would mean we would be leaving the rover in Outcast territory as you fly off into the sunset. That means an errant Initiative rover right by an Outcast base…means political strife and Diteon suffering the brunt of it.” She tried not to look at him, didn’t want to talk about it anymore, and she was pretty sure he was still being smug ever since they talked to Christmas. The ache of what could have been lingering between them.

“Such a woman of the people,” Reyes whispered under his breath. Sara stopped in her tracks and turned to him.

“Do you think I like doing this?” She snapped. “Do you think this is fun for me? Sorry I don’t get my kicks from hiding in the shadows and playing puppet master instead of getting out there and doing some good.”

“Why the fuck do you think I hid in the shadows until some high on her horse Pathfinder kicked me out of them?” He shot back as the sun began to set behind him. “That… that was part of my payment to come out here and be someone… I was an agent of the Shadow Broker. I stole information. I stay off the grid. I stay alive.”

“That is why you became the Charlatan.” She barely breathed. “You should have said something.”

“I knew you for two months, Sara.” His use of her name shocked her into silence. “I couldn’t risk everything I built, everything I was trying to help this shit hole of a planet become on a… piece of ass.”

“So it was all just a manipulation then?”  Sara didn’t cry. She had used all her tears up when her mother died. She had used them all up when her father died and her brother was in a coma and it was only her against the silence of space.

“Yes.” His golden eyes bore into hers, none of the playfulness that they had begun to reclaim hidden there.  She searched them for that bare moment of truth, the one she saw on the docks when he had touched her face and kissed her as the Kadaran sun began setting.

That man wasn’t before her, not anymore. Sara schooled her features as her father had taught her. She wrapped her emotions into a compressed box like she did in the field as her mind made a list of what to deal with later and what to talk with Lexi about. “SAM, how far are we from the base?” Sara finally spoke.

_According to the aerial surveillance of this planet we should be arriving there by foot in ten minutes. The plans have the shipyard located inside of a cave that had been dug out recently. Similar to the Collectives series of caves._

“What are we looking at for defenses?” Sara asked, eyeing Reyes cautiously.

_Minimal, most of the fighting squads are being redeployed towards Diteon and Draulir as most likely places for The Charlatan to seek ground._

“Diteon? Can you send a signal to the Tempest and inform Scott Ryder of the location of the Quarian buoy?” Sara asked as Reyes looked at her confused. “I would prefer that they get their hands on it before anyone else does.”

_Affirmative, Pathfinder, Scott Ryder has been delivered a dossier on the location of the Ganymede and the location of the Quarian Buoy. He is trying to hail you on your personal line._

“Please send him a message that I am working an operation and I’ll talk to him as soon as I can.” She raised her omni-tool and could already feel her brother’s long winded messages on the way to her. She would explain everything to him when she could. Scott and her crew were the most precious things to her. She could die, she was used to it at this point, but she would make sure the world she left behind was better for it.

“What are you trying to do?” Reyes asked calmly, the anger that had finally shown itself earlier carefully hidden away as if it never happened. He never known her to hide her emotions, or how effective she was at compartmentalizing.

“I like to keep you guessing.” She threw his own words at him from before they were this mess of anger and resentment. “Your ship is this way.”


	5. Waning

The hanger was larger than he had expected. It had been dug into the mountains itself and illuminated brightly. Reyes checked against the schematics he had hacked about where the Thanatos had been taken. He had been in this line of work long enough to know that something was off. It was lightly guarded as SAM had reported, but the feelings of eyes on the back of his head persisted.

If Sara had felt anything along the same vein she didn’t show it

Sara walked ahead of them wearing her silence as a badge of pride. Occasionally she would stop to check her omni-tool for messages or to scan for objects. Reyes tried again with his own scan and was thwarted by a VI that stood in his way.

“Ryder,” he hoped she could swallow her wounded pride long enough to respond otherwise he would have to cut his losses. “Would you scan the security system?” He didn’t have to tell her why. If it ended up being a trap, well that was all the better. He could leave her here to suffer under Sloane and make off with his ship never to land again until it was time to take it back.

“Fine,” she said with the resentment palpable in her voice. Sara raised her omni-tool to scan the nearby circuits and computer.

 _The security system is similar to the one Mr. Vidal installed on Elaaden._ SAM responded immediately. _I am accessing Cameras now._

“You built it didn’t you?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Always the accusations,” He leaned calmly against the stone wall. The energy of a good heist beginning to pool in his belly and itch under his skin.

 _There are additional soldiers inside the hanger as well as unidentified members of the Outcast._ SAM’s voice floated between them.

“Easy in and out you said. Just have to hack the door,” Sara grumbled. “I get caught I’m screwed.”

“Relax, I promise I’m a professional.” He smirked as she looked at him bemused. “You think this is the first time I’ve walked into a heavily armed base?”

 _“_ SAM?” Sara asked her AI. “Options?”

 _There is an air vent that leads right into the hanger bay that the Thanatos. I’ll have the door unlocked momentarily._ If Reyes had to bet, he would bet that Sara’s AI was more excited about it than he was. _I have given you coordinates to the access route._

The small entrance wasn’t hard to find buried further back in the mountains. There was a hot spring nearby and the smell that was purely Kadara wafting their way as the Pathfinder began working her way through t

“Ladies first,” Reyes motioned to Sara as he finished prying the panel open.

“Goodie,” She sighed before heading inside the cramped space.

“The glamorous life of a smuggler,” Reyes joked and did his best not to look at her ass as she slowly crawled in front of him. He swallowed at the sight and wondered what might have been before brushing that thought away with practiced ease. The fact that she was still here at all was a sign that maybe he could salvage this, even after the harsh words.

“Get in the duct,” Sara’s voice carried from in front of him.

Reyes followed her inside and through the tight metal corridors of the ducts. Occasionally she would stop and listen to whatever SAM would say on her private line and lead them away from the guards and further into the hanger. “We’re going to be getting out in a supply closet.” Sara whispered. “Then the hanger where your ship is should be located two doors down.”

They reached the end of the duct and Sara carefully removed the opening of the vent and dropped down gracefully into the closet. “I can catch you.” She spoke softly.

“I can jump, Ryder.” He said moving to the edge. “Who is the professional smuggler here?”

“Sloane said you were third rate.” Sara tossed him a grin and part of him wanted to show her how good he actually was. One fumbling in a supply closet wasn’t the measure of his capabilities. He moved to drop to the floor and started to float down, her biotics tingling across his skin. He filed that sensation away for later.

“You’ve hardly seen the beginning of my skills, Pathfinder.” Reyes moved into her bubble, pushing his body past hers to the door. He listened for the sounds of boots or anything on the other side.

 _I have set the cameras into a loop._ SAM said proudly.

“It sounds like your AI is enjoying this.” Reyes grinned and for a brief moment he wondered what it would be like to be the Charlatan and have a SAM unit in his head. The thought of having all the worlds secrets organized and maintained by an AI was impressive. He had several Vis that helped him with his organization already. Each of them designed to help filter incoming messages at the end of the day he was merely human, and ever since beginning Cynopolis he found things inside him had been changing.

“He’s never smuggled anything before.” Sara said looking at her omni-tool. “Alright the hallway is clear and SAM has us covered.”

With that they slipped out and into the hanger.

It was a wide open room, and much larger on the inside than the schematics made it seem. There were various ships of different makes and sizes. The hanger held his Thanatos in the far corner, several cargo vessels, and Andromeda Initiative fighter planes. He observed Sara as she looked over the contents of the hanger. Her lips turning into a thin line as her eyes landed on the fighter planes. Her mind no doubt running through all the missing in action reports she must have seen.

Towards where the Thanatos sat he could see a group of guards with their backs to them. He motioned to Sara to look towards them before they ducked behind cargo crates, watching the men on their patrol. “I only see five.” She crouched in front of him, they were close enough to touch. The heat of her body radiating in a way he couldn’t ignore.

Damn biotics, he cursed inwardly.

 _According to my visuals there is only one more group around the fighter planes. They should be beginning their next rotation in five minutes_.

“Come on,” She said taking point. He wondered if this was what she was like during an operation all bottled emotions and singular focus. Reyes had read reports on her ever since he heard that the human Pathfinder was Alec Ryder’s kid.

He followed behind her before running straight into her stopped body. “Ryder.” She felt flush against him.

“Get back.” She pinned him behind a crate peering out. He looked at his omni-tool and back at her trying to see beyond her from his vantage point.

It was not just five guards around the Thanatos as they had seen in the scans. The lights turned on in the hanger bay lighting up the entire building, exposing them from the shadows.

“Reyes Vidal,” Sloane Kelly twirled from atop a cat walk. He looked up at her fully illuminated, two snipers next to her and Kaetus on the ground with more of their operatives.

It was a trap.

“Shit,” Sara swore.

“Thank you Pathfinder for bringing me back Kaetus.” Sloane grinned like a wolf, “not surprised you Initiative dog turned on your masters and me. Little girl never struck me as the defiant type… most of a little bitch like your father.”

“Sloane,” Sara spoke evenly talking to Sloane like she was a wounded animal.

“Probably wanted the buoy for your boyfriend here. Take all the glory and tech from the Quarian Ark and leave us with nothing. Again.” Sloane’s voice broke with anger. “And you used Jien to manipulate me to do it. I should kill you.”

“That little trick you used on Elaaden… figured you might do that again.” Kaetus raised his gun as Sara’s hands went up in surrender. “I’d prefer not to shoot you Pathfinder.”

“Sloane, you really don’t want to do this.” Sara responded trying not to panic. He could hear the tight control she was forcing her words with.

“Leave her out of this,” Reyes interrupted and walked in front of the Pathfinder. “Kill the pathfinder, disgraced or not and they’ll come down on you like a hammer. Just waiting for an excuse, a shot fired. Or don’t you read all the things they are saying about the Paranoid Queen of Kadara who can’t even kill a smuggler.” He gave Sloane a smirk and he could feel the rage boiling and bubbling from the one as she growled and hissed.

“Kill him.” He raised her hand dismissively as one of the Snipers raised his gun. There wouldn’t be time to duck. There wouldn’t be time for much of anything. There was the pop of the bullet and he stared at Sloane while the bullet flew through the air. He hoped he would see his grandmother, his sister, and maybe Sara would get out of there safely.

The world shifted and turned blue. Bright blue almost white as it surrounded him and the sound of another gunshot right to the side of his ear rang out. Sounds faded as the reverberation in his mind made it sound like a high pitched ringing. All of a sudden he was dragged towards a ship, his ship as a biotic shockwave moved closer to the group of commandos with Kaetus. They scattered long enough to provide a path to the Thanatos.

Sara’s mouth looked like it said “move” and he did. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, forcing open the door of the ship as he keyed in his access code. He looked back only once to see Sloane Kelly slumped on the cat walk gasping for breath and clutching at her neck.

Inside was almost eerily quiet. He could hear Sara’s breathing rapidly as he moved quickly into the pilot seat and fired up the engine. This was what he had wanted to do months ago when he first had to run. If he had this ship he wouldn’t have had to run to ground. He could have been mobile. He could have shown them what it was to mess with him.

Engines roared to life as the ship lurched against its restraints. “Buckle up, Pathfinder.”

Sara ungracefully dragged herself to the co-pilots chair and threw her body into it. Buckling herself in with her fingers shaking. “Go.”

Firing up the thrusters he used the momentum to break the lock and the Thanatos flew free. “Hang tight.”

It was then he noticed her eyes unfocused and she was bleeding. Damn it. He didn’t have time as he had his ship set to ram the closed hanger door. Thanatos was a sturdy ship he knew this ship like the back of his hand, or his worst secret. She could handle the brunt. They broke through and into the twinkling night sky. He could see the trail of fire from the thruster. He would have to land and quickly patch it up, but he couldn’t risk it. Not now, not with the Pathfinder in his ship.

Landing in the badlands it was. The ship had to be repaired before they could make it to Elaaden. If she even wanted to go with him.

The chaos was left behind them as the ship made it's way to one of the hidden Collective bases in the Badlands. The flight was choppy as the Thanatos worked through the air. Reyes cringed at the sound of one of the engines was making as he moved to set down his ship. It was an easy fix, he was good at those when it came to this ship and he was glad once again Thanatos got him out of trouble. 

Reyes set the ship for landing parameters as he looked over at Sara. She was pale, paler than normal. Her hair was in complete disarray. He unbuckled her jostling her out of her revere. “Reyes?” She asked softly.

“I’m here, Sara.” All the anger dissipated from his body. She saved him, and they had shot her. “I need to see your wound.” He reached for the first aid kit under the chair.

“I just shot… I’ll be fine.” She grumped stubbornly. He would have smiled if he wasn’t so worried. This wasn’t like her. Well, wasn’t like the her he had known in their brief time.

“Sara,” he drew her attention to him, “I’m going to open your armor. Stay with me.” He pealed away her chest armor and gauntlets to the smooth under suit beneath. He unzipped the front of it only as far to get a good look at the shoulder wound, nothing further as to remain chaste, she watched him as he opened the first aid kit. He removed his gloves and used the alcohol inside of it to sanitize his hands. “It looks like it went clear through.”

“It was a Widow I figured as much.” Sara kept her eyes focused on him. “I thought it would hit the plate.”

“Not the soft pathfinder underneath.” He ripped open the medi-gel packet and applied it to the skin. Sara winced at the sensation closing her eyes.

“How many?” Her clear brown eyes opened.

“How many?” Reyes repeated.

“How many did I… kill…” She swallowed. He could feel her body strain under her fingers. The reports of her encounters with the collective before he had issued orders came to mind. She was never one to hunt them down or engage if she didn’t have to.

“I… didn’t see.” Reyes, however, had learned the hard way that sometimes you don’t leave traces behind. “Not many. The ones by the ship were knocked by your biotics.”

“And Sloane?” She gasped in pain.

“We don’t need to talk about that now… This ship has a bunk… you need to rest.” Reyes leaned down and unbuckled her from the seat. He had her lean her weight on his body as he maneuvered her through what had once been his home. In the little alcove where his first dreams of Andromeda began he lowered her down to sit. “The medi-gel can’t be all that’s wrong with you.” He pressed.

“My amp… I over did it with the biotics.” Her voice felt far away. “I’ll need a new one..”

“Don’t worry about that now,” He began working on the snaps on her armor to get her down to her under suit. She sat once they were all removed just starring out into the room. He walked over to the dresser and was happy to find a shirt that she could use. “Here something a little bit more comfortable.”

“I must smell.” She looked away.

“Do you need help?” Reyes offered. Her hand shook as she reached for him. Swallowing he decided there was a chance he could risk it and hand her hand in his.

“I can handle this, you are going to need to rest.” Reyes spoke softly, hoping to ease her pain.

 _Mr. Vidal is correct, Pathfinder._ SAM was at least in his corner when it came to Sara taking care of herself. _You have over exerted yourself._

He moved to leave and she grabbed his hand forcefully. “Did you know it was a trap?” She looked at him, eyes wide, pleading that this wasn’t revenge. That this was something, anything that what it felt.

Reyes moved his hand away. “No, Pathfinder. I did not.” He was calm. He was cold in his words and then he was gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Work and life have been kicking my ass lately but updates should persist as I finally start getting to the good stuff.


	6. Tabula Rasa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After saving Reyes Vidal from Sloane Kelly's ambush the two of them form an unlikely alliance to go after the Quarian Ark as the secrets start to unravel.

It was dark when Sara opened her eyes. Her skin on her shoulder tingled as she took stock of her barrings. The things she knew were that she was in a bed, her armor was thrown on the floor in a way that would make their father scream, and she ached all over. She moved to sit up and rotate her arm as she hissed in pain from where the bullet had torn through her skin.

Memories of what felt like years ago came rushing back.

She had shot Sloane Kelly. The bullet had grazed Sloane’s neck. It would have been a kill shot if she hadn’t also been shielding Reyes.

Reyes.

 This was his ship. Ganymede and the Quarian Buoy were probably being picked up by her brother by now. “Fuck,” she swore brushing her red hair into a serviceable braid. She glanced down at the armor. Her father would have blown a gasket over how halfhazardly she had thrown it on the ground once Reyes left the room.

Everything ached as she stood on wobbly legs. She wore an over sized shirt that Reyes had left on the bed as she sat down and shifted through the remnants of her armor. She had no desire to put it back on and instead began fishing around in the nearby lockers. They were empty or had strange items like a hat and a pompadour wig. Then she found the one that must have been Reyes’ she found a pair of black pants that she tied around her waist so they would fit.

Turning she picked up her under suit and walked out of the bunks to find the head of the ship. Reyes sat in the pilot seat looking intently at something as she took stock of where they were. “Still on Kadara?” She said concerned.

“Thruster needed to be fixed. Running final diagonistic now.” He looked up at her and his eyes lingered on her. She must look ridiculous.

“Do you have anything I can use to clean this?” She gestured with the garment.

“Towards the back,” He offered and turned.

“Where are we?” She asked.

“Abandoned Collective base,” this time he didn’t look at her. He wasn’t wearing his normal suit. There were dark tan pants that were covered in dust and a black tank top that showed the expanse of his skin that was normally hidden away. His hands look rough and rugged without his gloves. Grease or dirt under his fingernails with his biceps having a sheen of sweat.

“Thruster that bad?” She turned back to him curiously.

“I buried the dead.” Reyes looked up at her, his emotions hidden away carefully. “The Tempest landed in Diteon while you were resting. Go clean up.”

Sara hesitated and walked towards the open window in front of her looking out at the remnants of the collective base. They were exiles, they were at war with each other, and she knew people died. That there was a cost for insurrection and clawing for home, but she wasn’t prepared from the amount of brutality that lay before her. There were several freshly dug unmarked graves, near them there were several spikes that had cruel faces starring back at her. Their jaws broken, body parts severed. They looked like the Kett she had seen her first time in Kadara.

She had stood next to Sloane, begged her to put an end to this, demanded it was what must be done for an alliance. Sara had bended like a reed and allowed the fees under the guise of protection for her people while Sloane turned around and salted the land of the Collection. “This…” Sara couldn’t find the words. Her hope that people were better died in her throat. Reyes was a practical man who hid through the shadows to save a city he thought was worth saving. He lied, he murdered, and he betrayed her trust and who she was to accomplish that end.

If only she had know about _this_. “Did any of your men escape?”

Reyes had been watching her with those amber eyes that hid so many things behind them. He must be waiting for her to justify her decision to hear what she told herself in the night. She looked at the rocks, and the bodies, and the splatters of blood painted on the terrain. “Some.”

_The rate of environmental influences and decomposition coincide with..._ SAM didn’t need to finish his observation. She already knew these would date back to within days of when she saved Sloane’s life. She had sworn that the beheadings and violence would finally come to an end. Sara had been wrong. She didn’t know what kind of brutality the Collective may had done in it’s place, she had found their abandoned labs, and looking over at Reyes with uncertainty in her eyes she still didn’t know.

“Sloane will bring war to Heleus.” Reyes drew her out of her thoughts. “We don’t have the population to survive this.”

“What would the King in the Shadows have done differently,” She sat down across from him.

“Cut the head off the snake,” He looked out at the carnage, “with Sloane and Kaetus out of the way they would have been disorganized, weak. Her men would have abandoned her, the loyal few would flee. We wouldn’t be living on a graveyard.”

“And you became the Charlatan to accomplish that end.”

“I couldn’t openly work against Sloane for more than just that… as you can see the results of what happened when I was known.” He leaned against the chair, the fight all gone out.

Sara frowned, fidgeting with the bottom of her shirt. “I’ve heard good things about Cynopolis.” She offered expecting another heated jab but he just looked at her, lingering at where a bullet had hit her skin. He stood up and entered her space. Reyes was so close she could reach up and touch him. His dirty hand came up and moved the piece of cloth by her neck exposing the skin there still puckered and red as it healed.

As quickly as he was there he was gone and heading towards the back of the ship. The sound of water began to run as she looked out back at the remnants of the collective of Kadara. She stared at the pikes, the burnt buildings and the bodies. Seared the images into her memories and said a prayer for the dead.

 

 

Thanatos rounded near Diteon as Sara looked out the window. Seeing the Tempest below them felt like coming home. It was her ship, it was the first place in Andromeda she worked hard to earn. She could see all the tiny people in the settlement going about their day as things were loaded from the Ganymede into the Tempest. “I’m dropping down to the LZ.”

She saw Scott stopping what he was doing and looking up at the ship as it descended. The two of them never had that wonder twin magic so many made jokes about, but it felt good to be near him again. For a moment she let herself think they did.

Reyes ran through the last few checks as it approached the landing pad. He was much better pilot than she was, not that she would ever tell him.

“Pathfinder,” Reyes’ voice broke her attention away from her brother. “How sure are you that your own brother won’t throw you behind bars?”

“Scott would never do that,” Sara scoffed, “Cora possibly… The rest of them? Not a chance. Plus if I have the Quarian Ark location alongside the cipher to translate the documents. They’ll be back to loving me in no time as long as I put up with their shit.” The one wild card was the asari pathfinder, Sarissa Therin, who she still had her bit of leverage against her if for a good cause didn’t work.

Reyes’ mouth curled upward in a way that made her nervous. “Unless one of them is a member of the Benefactor and throw you along side them.”

“Why do you always do that? Just stringing out small little facts like bits of crumbs hoping I bite?” Sara growled. “But don’t you dare insinuate that the people I almost died with this year, and hell did die with several times, would even do that to me.”

“I like to keep you guessing,” Reyes gave her a dimpled smile. “Maybe not them… but somebody else.”

“Is this something that I’ll be able to find on those files?”  Sara stood up and adjusted her armor tightly around her body.

“Perhaps,” He rounded away from the question.

“You couldn’t just give me a name, or something.” Sara pleaded, “anything?”

“I could be persuaded for a favor in return,” Reyes gave her that cat like smile knowing she once again got played into his hand, at least this time he was more up front about it.

“Let me hear it,” She crossed her arms.

“In lieu of all the information I’ve been so generously providing I would like to accompany you on the trip to the Quarian Ark.” He leaned casually on his chair.

“Hell no,” Sara responded immediately, “even if I can convince them that you are an asset the higher ups for the Initiative already know who you are.”

“Thanks to you.” Reyes said evenly any heat of his anger vacant from his voice. “But now let bygones be bygones.” He offered her his hand. “I don’t bite.”

“What is the deal Reyes? I’m not accepting to take you on just that alone.” Sara was adamant. She would not be taken advantage of again.

What she didn’t expect was for him to stand, to tower over her as he leaned down. Sara almost bolted back when she thought he might be attempting to kiss her. She could feel her biotics anxiously moving within her body as he leaned closer and whispered against her ear.

 

 

The docking manager nearly jumped when the Charlatan and Sara Ryder disembarked from the Thanatos. She could see the surrounding settlers looking on at the new comers nervously. She scanned the gathering crowd looking for Christmas Tate as she headed further into Diteon and past the main compartments to where the members of the Tempest were assisting Scott in their scanning and stripping of the Ganymede.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw her brother. Their eyes met and he gracefully dropped the crate he was carrying on his foot letting up a yelp that had Cora, Peebee, Jaal and Liam stopping in their tracks to see what the second Ryder was doing. Sara felt her smile go wide from the pure joy of seeing them brought her as she started running towards them and her eyes immediately fell on Sarissa Therin holding up a gun.

“Stop right there, Sara Ryder and your companion Reyes Vidal are to come with under the penalty of treason.” Sarissa said coldly.

“Hey, now, lets be rational about this.” Liam slowly knelt to put the item he was carrying on the ground.

“I really don’t think so Sarrisa,” PeeBee’s hand moved to her gun belt.

Cora stood at Sarissa’s side in a flash. The biotic second in command hesitated looking from the team she had come to know as family. Scott, however, had none of the graces and diplomacy. His blood ran hot. “Put the gun down, Theris.” He warned his voice a low rumble.

“They are wanted criminals.” Sarissa didn’t flinch away from the bounty.

“I can explain,” Sara raised her hands in surrender showing the Asari Pathfinder that she meant no harm. “Did you get the Quarian Buoy?” She asked.

“Confidential.” Sarissa growled.

_The Pathfinder and I, with the help of Mr. Vidal have the locations for the Quarian Ark._ SAM’s calm voice broke the tension.

“I told you she had it.” Scott exclaimed perturbed. It was nice that even with how erratic her behavior had been that her brother was always in her corner.

“That doesn’t explain why the fucking Charlatan is here. Oh, shit, does Sloane know?” PeeBee looked back towards the port.

“There may have been a little bit of a heist and it would probably be a good idea for all of us to get off planet as soon as possible.”

“What did you do?” Scott was incredulous.

“Broke into their hanger and help Reyes steal a ship.” Sara shrugged making Scott grin.

“Bet you got Kaetus killed too.” Sarissa would not drop it.

“Can we please get inside and get out of here I promise I can explain everything inside.” Sara pleaded. She could feel Reyes behind her reaching for his gun.

There was a loud thud and Sarissa fell to her knees and onto the ground. Standing over her was Cora Harper starring at the Asari with a look of abject horror. “Get her inside.” Cora instructed Jaal who looked between Sara, Reyes and the unconscious body of Sarissa.

“I am glad you are well, Sara.” Jaal’s voice rumbled pleasantly. Sara didn’t realize how much she really missed all of them until now.

“I’m going out on a limb here.” Cora got in Sara’s face.

“Thank you.” She meant every word and she turned back to Reyes. “We’ll meet you where we talked about.”

Reyes nodded.

“You are just going to let him leave?” Peebee ran up next to Sara with her gun coming out of the holster. She grabbed her friends wrist before it could escalate and PeeBee saw her resolve. “I don’t get it.”

“Once we’re out of here I’ll tell you everything.” Sara said smoothly.

“That might not be wise, Ryder.” Reyes said warningly.

“I like them to have that choice.” Sara said plainly. “Now get out of here before I change my mind.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.” With that he walked away and back to his ship. She watched his frame become tinier and tinier as he walked away.

 

 

The quite running of the engine of the Tempest was so familiar and gorgeous a sound. She hadn’t realized how it had punctuated and brought her through many nights. In the time of her being gone nothing much had change, a few things were stricter in regulation but here? She was home. Seeing all the nervous faces around her each of them greeting her and wrapping her in their embraces brought a warmth she hadn’t felt since before her mother got ill.

Lights flickered on in the common room as they all filed in. Suvi and Kalo were at the helm listening in as Sara began her long winded explanation. “I’m not expecting this all to make sense, but I’m not an asshole who is going to send us in blind. I’ve been hiding something that our father,” she looked over at Scott who sat in the back with his arms crossed. “Alec Ryder was researching.” She pulled up the notes and information she had received from the disc she had received alongside the notes she had pryed from her father’s data. “There is a group of people called the Benefactor who have been bank rolling this project and helping Jien Garson realize her dream. Jien Garson didn’t die in the scourge attack. She was murdered.”

A quiet grasp filled the room as she proceeded. “There are several Benefactor agents around the Heleus cluster, but if what Reyes and I found is that a majority of those involved with the Benefactor are coming on the next ship. They have manipulated the events here in their favor and killed off those who knew.”

“So what now?” PeeBee offered.

“That is up to you. We could go back to exploring Heleus and leave the buoy and coordinates for the Directors to decide what to do with. But there was a message in there asking for their _agents_ to come save them.” Sara explained.

“The question we must ask… is why them and not the members of the Andromeda Initiative?” Jaal sounded perplexed.

“This is nuts,” Cora played with the disc in her hand. “Why would they hide?”

“Because they lied to us about the reasons for the Initiative.” Sara said plainly. “There was something they were afraid of. Liara T’Soni sent dad an audio log about these creatures called Reapers… there… I..” She closed her eyes and willed the screaming of the long dead to quite long enough for her to finish. “There was a good chance everyone we left behind is dead. I deleted the logs.” She looked over at her brother. “I’m sorry you have to take me on my word.”

Scott’s lips were thin and disapproving. “What else did he say?”

“He died… after he got the last transmission.” Her arms came around her, drawing herself close. The wound was still open for both her and Scott. They had both been thrust into their father’s shoes with barely a thought as to were they capable. “I still have the Jien Garson logs that I’ll have made accessible, along with what I got from Doctor Zenari. It will also have pictures of the Geth that was found in the Nexus.”

Silence oppressively filled the room. “Geth?” Jaal broke the tension. “The culture research center said that they were the ones who-“

“This one was derelict and offline. Zenari was an agent of the Benefactor. I don’t know what angle this was all about. Maybe it was to keep us busy or part of something larger I don’t know.”

“What do you want to do about it?” Scott interrupted her train of thoughts. “You stole away in the middle of the night, you worked with someone you almost killed and surely wants you dead, ran away to Elaaden and Kadara to find this buoy. You said to trust you, and I do, but seriously Sara what the fuck?”

Anger radiated off him in waves. “I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.” She offered lamely.

“You died. Twice.” Vetra spoke up from the back of the room, drawing all the attention to the tall Turian woman. “People like this shadow organization.. you go after them alone you end up dead.”

Sara took a deep breath. “There will be groveling and such after this is all done, but…” She straightened her back. “There are members of the Initiative itself that are compromised. This runs deep. I want answers on why people had to die. I want to know why Kandros had to die to keep these secrets. The Tempest is the best ship to get us there. What I propose? We resupply at Meridian where we will be joined by Reyes Vidal.”

“He is NOT coming with us. No way.” Liam raised his arms in protest.

“Reyes provided intricate data in my investigation and he saved my life. He also is personally invested in this endeavor.”

“He fucks you over, Sara, I shoot him.” Vetra replied immediately.

“Then I’m going to knee him in the balls.” Scott jibbed.

“And I’ll have time to come up with some cool way to get rid of the body.” Peebee grinned.

“How are you going to be cleared to take over the command of the Tempest? And what do we do with Sarissa?” Cora brought them back on track.

“I vote we leave her here.” Peebee immediately offered. Cora looking at her offended. “What? I don’t like her. She comes from the planet of Asari with a stickup her ass.”

“I am going to talk to Director Tann, I can get him to see reason.” Sara gave them a big smile. “If he says no then we’re just going to steal the ship and bring more of our people home.”

“And get court martialed while you are at it.” Cora grumped.

“You can stay with your girlfriend if you like,” Peebee grinned.

“She is an extremely prominent-“ Cora began as they collectively groaned in unison.  

“Get ready to head to Meridian,” Sara ordered, “I’ll get my command reestablished but I’d like a word with my brother first. And guys? It’s good to be back.”

“Eh, didn’t miss you.” Peebee stuck out her tongue and headed down the ramp with Jaal trailing shortly behind her. Vetra gave her a quiet look over and headed out. Gil had remained quiet lingering in the back. There was no doubt a conversation they would be having once they were alone.

“You really think this is the thing, ya?” Liam asked.

“I do,” She said sounding surer than she felt.

“Then I’m with you, Pathfinder.” They all filed out until it was just her and Scott in the room. Her brother looked so much like her when he was angry.

“I get the running off,” he started. “I do, you do this thing where you take the weight on for everyone else. You did it when mom got sick. You did it when dad couldn’t. You don’t have to protect us all.”

“But who else will?” Sara sighed as her brother came up and wrapped her in his arms.

“I missed you but not your savior complex.” He grumbled in her ear.

“And I missed you younger less wiser Ryder.” She grinned as he released her. “I need to contact Tann give the Coordinates to Kallo.” She raised her omni tool. “I’m also transferring over the files I’ve been working with. I’m not going to do this alone.”

“We do this like all our crazy stunts from when we were kids.” He raised his hand offering his pink.

“Together.” The swore.

 

The face of the Salarian Director of the Andromeda Initiative appeared before her. He was bleary eyed and extremely annoyed. “Pathfinder Ryder,” He said her name evenly, “heard there were warrants out for your arrest. I suggest you turn yourself in.”

“Not today, Director,” She continued in her professionalism. “I found the Quarian Buoy and was able to decode the data enough to find the location of the Ark. It’s in a neighboring cluster. I think the Tempest can handle the journey. You are going to reinstate me as Pathfinder and Commander of the vessel Tempest.”

“And why would I do that?” He looked at her like she was scum beneath his booth.

“Because I’m the only one with all the information that can bring those 10,000 souls adrift in the vastness of space home. I decoded the files. I know why we ran.” She said evenly.

“I will warn you this once to not-“

She raised her hand to cut him off. “You are letting me take this ship and save our people. This isn’t quid pro quo. Tann you _owe_ us this.”

“You have already proved your insubordination as a disqualifying factor for your station.” Tann growled. She could feel her getting under his skin, his cool demeanor being thrown to the floor.

“So,” She grinned, “speaking of disqualifying factors… how did a low level accountant for the Noveria Development Company end up in a Director of the Initiative again?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> awh yeah lets get to the good stuff. GET IN THE CAR KIDS.


	7. Antiope

There was a power in secrets. Sara felt the thrill of them as one more mystery was uncovered. As she watched Director Tann’s face falter in surprise, starring at her with a mixture of anger and resentment. His brain no doubt trying to come up with ways to work around the truth of the matter, the truth she knew of him. “This is why you didn’t want me investigating Jien Garson’s death.” Sara held firm.

Silence followed thick and palpable. Jorun Tann didn’t look frightened, or a cornered beast like she had expected. He just looked sad. “Pathfinder,” He cleared his voice. “This is a conversation I wish we had in person.”

“So you could kill me.” She crossed her arms defiantly.

“No,” He sat down at his desk and evaluated her. “What do you intend to do with this information? I doubt anyone out here even cares who the Noveria Corporation is.”

“That’s not the problem…” Sara smiled. “Allowing the deaths of your superiors might be. Just putting that out there.”

“That was not me.” Tann spat.

That caught her attention. “Then who was it number eight? Someone has been working with the Benefactor, that same someone who ordered the assassination of Jien Garson and Tiran Kandros.”

“When this is over, Pathfinder… we will have a conversation.” Tann dodged. “I know I’m not liked, and for the most part not even respected. I was a Deputy Assistant for Revenue Management. I look at to what is essential and predict consumer behavior at a micro level. I raise a gun when I have to. I exile people when it is what required. This conversation might even be monitored. What is to say that I won’t be next?”

“I want this to stop.” Sara offered. “I want to bring the Quarians home and find out why this all had to happen.”

“The Noveria Corporation bankrolled the Andromeda Initiative. I helped manage and distribute funds. Kandros came on board investigating something. The Benefactor Board knew about it. The derelict Geth on board the Nexus was meant to keep him occupied but he kept digging. By the time word got to me about what was going to happen… it had already occurred.”

“So you punished me… to keep me away from all this?” Sara tilted her head.

“I should have just assumed you would never listen and do this anyway. I’ll get you reinstated with help from Kesh. Addision will be your problem when you return. I’m even lower level in the Benefactor organization.” Tann offered sadly, “but when you find them look for Maeko Matsuo.”

“Thank you.” Sara smiled at him.

“You are in over your head, but that is not my decision anymore.” The line went dead.

 

“Guess whose officially your human pathfinder again?” Sara nearly jumped on Kallo once she made it to the bridge. Suvi gave her a bright smile as she took the helm. “We’re going to Meridian and then we’re going to boldly go where no Milky Way species have gone before.” She punched the information from her omni tool into the computer.

“That is at the edge of the Antiope Cluster.” Kallo examined. “I would say about a month and a half journey in FTL.”

“How did you manage to get reinstated, Sara?”

“I am just that fantastic,” She gave her a grin, “and I had a little information on him thanks to our resident Charlatan.”

“I am voicing my concerns one more time about him being on board.” Kallo told her. “I don’t trust him.”

“You don’t have to. I do. He also needs to understand that if he pulls any shit I’m like… 90% sure Scott would accidently space him.” Sara shrugged. “I would really prefer nobody gave him any bodily injury as we wouldn’t even have any of this without him.”

“Don’t tell me you still got the hots for him?” Peebee giggled out of her room in the escape pod with her remnant machine hanging out with her.

“One, him being a lying bastard does not take away the fact that he is a _handsome_ one.” Sara tried to hide her blush, “and second this is strictly business.”

It was then that she noticed Gil hanging back at the entrance to the ship’s head. “Ryder,” He grinned at her and titled his head.

“I’m needed.” Sara grinned and rushed over to the engineer wrapping him in a giant hug. He held her with such ferocity.

“I heard you blew up an Outcast base.” He whispered into her hair. “Your brother was pissed. Had to get him drunk to calm down.”

“Thank god I got all the biotic genes, right?” She pulled away to smile at him.

“Holding up?” He asked.

“I’ve had more sleep than you.” Her eyes accused. “And I got shot.”

“I’ll walk you to our medical overlord as long as you don’t snitch.” Gil laughed.

“Reyes did a nice job of cleaning the wound.” She rolled her shoulder wincing slightly.

“I bet that isn’t all he did.” Gil waggled his eyebrows.

“What is with all of you? We’re amicable and I’m doing this for strictly professional reasons-“ Sara sighed.

“Enough with the company line and you know Lexi is probably going to drill you for all the details.” Gil grinned. “Speaking of people who will drill you… HI Cora.”

Cora Harper came out of the crew quarters as they walked towards Lexi’s office. “Hold on a second,” She walked over to Sara, “I have a question what are we going to do with Sarissa? She’s currently locked up with Liam’s couch.”

“Oh god, the horror.” Gil mocked.

“Look, I know you didn’t get along with her Gil… but-“ Cora tried.

“She wanted to bring in an Asari engineer to tamper with my baby.” Gil crossed his arms as he turned to Sara. “KALLO ended up refusing to let her in.”

“Woah, your bromance is now serious.” Sara grinned, missing this. “Cora, I promise we’re not going to dump her on a moon while we leave to Antiope. We’re refueling at Meridian for the journey and we’ll leave her at the port for her new assignment.”

“What if she wants to come with us?” Cora asked hesitantly.

“No,” Gil interrupted. “She was horrible to work with. I won’t do it.”

“Gil,” Sara gave him a look. “That will be up to Sarissa and Director Tann on if this mission needs two Pathfinders. What is your recommendation Lieutant Harper?”

“I would rather she were left behind, ma’am.” Cora said hesitantly.

“I agree with your assessment.” Sara offered. “But why?”

“I disagree with yours about Reyes Vidal.” Cora said clearly. “She is… not what I expected.”

“Noted.” Sara responded. “Now, I have a date with a doctor before mission prep. Will that be all?” She looked at the two of them.

“Nope, Angry younger Ryder is all yours to deal with.” Gil shrugged and walked towards the engine room.

“I wish you were here to have seen them,” Cora said softly so that Gil couldn’t hear. “They are still walking around each other like idiots. PeeBee wants to trip one of them so their mouths fall on each other to just get it over with.”

Sara snorted. “I thought you might turn on me,” She looked over at her second in command. “When Sarissa held a gun to me and Reyes. I am sorry for doubting you.”

“I hate the way you do things. They drive me crazy.” Cora sighed, “but I’ve never known you to not try to do the right thing so when they said you were wanted for Kandros assassination I wouldn’t believe them. You may make allies of enemies… but you are like a bull in a china shop. Sometimes I wonder how much you would have driven your father crazy.”

“Drove him crazy all the time on the field and off. You should have seen when Scott and I would team up,” Sara smiled fondly. “He was good at what he did, and he loved my mom… but he wasn’t much of a father to us. More like a drill sergeant we were related to. I sometimes wish he was still here so I could hit him, but he was much better at calling the hard shots.”

“He was good at making the practical shots, I wouldn’t go as far to say they would have been the correct one. God, I worry about what he would have done to Kadara.” Cora looked over at her.

“He would have killed both of them and help install an Initiative post if he helped him get my mother’s cure.” Sara said resigned. “I saw what happened to the Collective outposts.”

“The Collective was just as bad as the Outcasts you saw some of their labs.” Cora reminded her. “Be careful with Vidal, that’s all I ask.”

“I will. If anything the last few weeks have been eye opening.” She sighed. “You ever wonder if we made the right choice coming out here… even knowing what we know now?”

She saw Lexi peer out of her door at the two of them with a look that would even make her father quake in his knees. “Nope. I should have stayed here than deal with the interrogation I’m about to.” Cora’s gazed followed hers and she almost heard a giggle come out of her second in commands mouth.

“Good luck,” Cora laughed as Sara walked towards what was certainly her doom.

 

 

Inside the Pathfinder’s quarters she found her brother sitting on the couch petting the small pyjack that had been given to her as a gift. “Did you name this thing yet?”

“Its super annoying, I wanted to name him Scott.” She grinned sitting opposite her brother.

“Does this mean I have to listen to you?” He grumbled. “Pathfinder Ryder?”

“I think that means you have to listen to me for more official reasons more than just I said so.”

“On our way to Meridian, huh?” He asked.

“Yep.”

“Gonna delete any more files this time?”

“Nope.” She said starring out at the stars. “I’ll transfer over the Cipher and files I have soon enough.”

“So why did you delete dad’s audios?” He asked.

“Because I know us. If I get involved, you follow, and despite how much shit I give you I like you more than a lot of the other colonists, and if there was anything linking us to the Benefactor… I was worried we’d get killed. More importantly… I was worried they would go after you.” Sara shrugged.

“So why give us everything now?”

“It’s bigger than I thought it was.” She sighed. “It’s like the scourge, they are everywhere. Remnants of it in everything… This dream, the idea it was all Jien Garson, but she was just a charismatic rich girl who ran out of money before the Benefactor stepped in.”

“And dragged us all in when she shelled out…” Scott began looking through the files she sent him.

“Not really,” Sara sighed, “I don’t think she understood all the strings that came with accepting their help. Part of the funds came from the Noveria Corporation. I’m promised another lead when we take Reyes with us.”

“The unknown revealed upon delivery?” Scott asked. “What if he is delivering us to the Benefactor for investigating?”

“He’d be killed too. He worked for them.” She shrugged looking at the pyjack. “How he bought his way on board was smuggling information from the Shadow Broker. It’s how they had all the data from the Reapers that the Council kept hidden from us. The deal was he find a quiet corner of the world to be someone who was of no consequence to them.”

“And then Kadara happened.” Scott searched her face.

“I guess he couldn’t watch a monster and in the end became one himself,” She looked at the drink he handed her, “and I think it was because he wanted to be someone else.. maybe.. I don’t know.”

“You love him don’t you?”

“No. That would be stupid. But he is useful,” she offered.

“Where do we go form here?” Scott leaned back in his chair, looking out into the vastness of space.

“We find the Quarians, we bring them home, and then we prepare for whatever happens next.” Sara said. “Members of the Benefactor hierarchy are on that ship. I think Reyes wants to negotiate the terms of his agreement with them. I just want to find answers.”

“Or we’re fall.” Scott said quietly. “I don’t think Dad could do this.”

“Most of the time I don’t think I can.” She turned to him.

“You won’t have to do this alone.” He stood up and moved to sit next to her, with the Pyjak making disgruntled noises.

“You have to promise me one thing,” Sara demanded.

“Yeah, what’s that big sister?”

“Go make the moves on that engineer already we all may die soon.” She said perturbed.

“Ugh, stop it.” Scott cackled against her as he pulled her into a hug.

“In due time.” Sara grinned, feeling at home for the first time since she arrived. Home wasn’t a place, or an unreachable concept. She felt it inside her bones as he wrapped her in an embrace and mussed her hair.

 

Later that evening…

“I’m going to let you out now.” Sara knocked on the door to where Sarissa was tucked away. She heard some muffled swearing coming through the door. “No attacking anyone.”

The door whished open, “you are working with the Charlatan.” Sarissa growled.

“Yup.” Sara shrugged “But that isn’t your concern. I’m reinstated as the head of this vessel and we’re going to be stopping at Meridian to restock and then head to the next Galaxy over.”

“Antiope.”

“As long as you don’t decide to shoot me I’ll escort you to the communications room where you can contact Director Tann for your next assignment.” Sara gave her a shiteating grin.

“What if I don’t want to give up the ship?” Sarissa said defiantly.

“Then I tell Tann what you did to your Pathfinder.”

“Ugh, you can work with the Charlatan and I get punished for past mistakes?” Sarissa scowled and Sara swore that withering glare may have sucked a few years out of her life.

“Do you really want to come with us?” She said hesitantly. Sara swallowed and remembered she was the one who gave people second chances. It was what this entire thing was about.

“No. I’ve seen enough of this galaxy to know going into uncharted territory may be a death sentence. I’ll find a home for my people.” Sarissa said defiantly. “This side of the galaxy.”

“And I’ll bring others home to it. We’re on the same side.” Sara reached out her hand to shake, hoping she took her up on it.

“Why are you doing this?” Sarissa eyed the stretched hand in front of her cautiously.

“To build a better world than the one we left behind.” Sara offered.

“Naïve.” Sarissa took her hand and shook.

“Maybe once.” She shrugged, “but I’d rather have hope than nothing at all.”

 

 

Arriving in Meridian was a beautiful thing. It seemed like the sky opened up as the Tempest reached for its descent. Her crew was gathered in the front of the ship watching the stars pass them by as they prepared to go out into the unnamable. The Hyperion glittering into existence in front of them as they all took stock of what was around it. There were tiny settlements popping up around the ship. Units filled with people and families beginning their daily routine.

The beginning of civilization in a new world was all Sara could think as Scott elbowed her in the side. “I wish Dad were here.” And for a brief moment, she wished it too.

“Mom might be one day.” She looked over at him as his hand slipped in hers.

“I hope she loves it.” He looked out at the new settlement.

“Me too.” Was all that Sara had left to say as Kallo brought them safely to port.

 

Outside Sarissa found her easily enough. The blue Asari stood out amongst all the human dockworkers. She had been waiting for her ever since she had disembarked the ship. “I take it you contacted the Krogan?” She crossed her arms.

“Vetra brought me up to speed in the last hour you had no right to kick him off,” She growled at the Asari.

“He wouldn’t listen to my authority.” Sarissa turned up her chin.

“You have to earn it,” Sara hissed between her teeth.

“You run a very lax ship then… I’m surprised Director Tann was so wiling to let you go on this adventure with all this equipment. Would be a shame if you all died out there.” The old Asari looked at her as if she were even less than the dust on her boot.

“We won’t.” Sara’s voice filled with hope. “We’ll bring out people home. Where are you going now?”

“Kadara.” Sarissa was less than enthused. “Apparently they want me to clean up the mess YOU left.”

“Have fun with Sloane,” She winked and walked away. She did not have time anymore to deal with the wounded ego of an Asari Matriarch.

Although the thought of Sloane and Sarissa at odds may have brought her a little too much joy.

 

Reyes Vidal was just outside the docks looking at his omni tool. He was leaning against the wall, blending into the crowd of people coming and going. He was wearing his old flight suit as he leaned against the wall.

“You look like your waiting for someone,” she couldn’t resist saying as she walked up to him.

He looked up at her, eyes cautious. “That is my line.”

“How is Cynopolis doing?” Sara made small talk.

“Trade with New Tuchanka is going well. One of my representatives will be overseeing trade negotiations in my stead.” Reyes offered.

“You sure this is what you want? I mean I could get mad at you and throw you out of the airlock.” Sara asked.

He grinned that dimpled grin that made her either want to throw him against a bulkhead and kiss him silly, or slap him.. “I highly doubt that Pathfinder.”

“The Initiative is stepping in with Sloane.” She offered. “Sarissa Therin is going to be handling the all further negotiations with Sloane.”

“She won’t work with you. Not like I would have.” Reyes looked out to the horizon.

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” She said tired. “I suppose you still talk to Evfra?”

“Perhaps.”

“Walk with me,” She motioned and he followed. “Here is my olive branch outside of getting shot… Sarissa is working with Evfra and Keema to oust Sloane.”

“They would never deal with her,” He growled.

“Turns out with the Outpost location and the treatment of the Angara someone made a good case that it was time to step in.”

“Why Ryder, I think I’ve become a bad influence on you.”

“Don’t get your hopes up.” She ignored him.

“With you? Never.” His retort was playful if on the side of flirty.

“So whose the second corporation?” Sara interjected trying to stay the course.

“When we approach the Quarian Ark.” Reyes was firm in his rules, “and not before.”

“Fine, but don’t get your hopes up about the air locking.” She gave him a wink as she turned back to the Tempest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have named a bunch of planets after Amazons and I don't give a fuck. Antiope is queen.


	8. Keelah Se'lai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Journey to the Keelah Si'yah

Reyes Vidal boarded the Tempest to an atmosphere of animosity. He was still a man who had worked in shadows and had used them for his own end. While he and Sara may have made their uneasy truce it did not extend to the rest of the crew. The eyes on his back as he made his way through the cargo hold followed every step he made.

“Most of the stations are taken,” Sara turned to him, “but I’m sure you can work something out the rest of the crew.”

“I am sure they will give me a warm welcome,” Reyes sighed. There was no love to be lost between the crew and himself.

“I’m sure you’ll win them over with your stunning personality, and bribes.” Sara kicked his shin playfully before clearing her throat and continued, “Can you tell me now?”

“Not yet,” he returned the gesture. “Is there a place I may set up my terminals?”

"How much privacy do you need since I bet there is still an aspect of secret crime lord?” Sara prodded.

“More trade negotiations and diplomacy this day, boring I’ll admit.” He shrugged. “I would still like my people to get the privacy they have fought for.”

 _You quarters provide the most privacy,_ SAM interjected. The pink flush that crept up her face might have been worth it. _I would discuss with Mr. Kosta about an arrangement._

“He is not staying with that couch.” Sara interjected.

_I can once again suggest the Path-_

_“_ NO.” Sara turned even redder as Reyes laughed at her discomfort.

“That would be unwise, but thank you for the suggestion SAM.” He didn’t know which of them was enjoying this more the AI or himself.

“Talk to Lieutenant Harper about the Bio Lab. It’s her space for the plants but she works mainly out of the cargo bay. Be nice.” She gestured towards the Crew’s quarters. “With Drack back planet side we have space in one of the top bunks.”

“Thanks,” Reyes gave her a small smile. He was taking a great risk in being here. The weight of all the secrets he had held inside of him for so long beginning to unravel. He had given her crumb after crumb like he did when he first met her. Point her in the right direction. Give her what she needed to get a job that benefited him done.

 

One day he would tell her that this had been set into motion after he discovered she had taken the cipher. It was a gambit one that may cost him his life. The last few crumbs tucked deep inside him self as he strode forward.

 

The crew’s quarters were tightly packed. It reminded him of military vessels in their arrangement. That was where the resemblances ended. Even for a science vessel there were touches of every single crew member around him. They were the little tells he would look for in a mark.

“Vidal,” said a voice from his right. He turned to see the Asari standing against the closed door.

“Peebee.” Reyes greeted her.

“You don’t get to call me Peebee. You make any move against our girl… we will throw you out an airlock.” With that she turned on her heel and into the door before he could retort.

 _The crew is not pleased with your presence._ SAM spoke into the room.

“I hadn’t noticed.” Reyes smirked.

 _I am still getting used to sarcasm. Sara has informed me I have a lot to learn._ SAM replied. _I would suggest taking a diplomatic approach in speaking to Lieutenant Harper. b. I would be willing to assist you in this_ _endeavor_ _._

“And what would you want in return?” Reyes looked around the room trying to figure out where the auditory links were. “I am assuming there is strings attached to this?”

_I would like access to any information that would be of benefit to the investigation. I have seen what happens when you leave Ryder in the dark. Mr. Vidal._

“Does she know you-“

 _No._ _She has barred me from asking questions relevant to her emotions, or decisions involving you_ _._ SAM almost sounded disappointed,

“When did that happen?” He asked.

 _When she put your life over her own._ SAM responded. _My existence_ _is tethered_ _to Sara Ryder. It is in our benefit that you work with us. It is to your benefit that you work with us._

“Ah, but that takes away my leverage and how do I know that Sa-Ryder won’t allow her crew to throw me out the airlock?”

 _I believe_ _you already know the answer to that Mr. Vidal._

 

 

Finding Cora Harper was the easy part. The withering stare as he approached her in his most charming stance took him down a few notches. “SAM told me you were looking for me.” She sipped the mug of coffee in the galley as Reyes sat across from her. He folded his hands in front of him as a gesture of peace.

“I need a space to set up my terminals. It came to my attention that the bio lab would be the place for me to have the privacy my position requires.”

“SAM already made the argument for you.” Cora smiled into her coffee. “My gut says no and to toss you off the ship, but it’s not my ship. I’m sure you’ll get the third degree from most of us. I trust Ryder. She’s good at her job. She gets things done. You are our best informant on the people we may be facing. Double crossing the Shadow Broker and running out here has some balls. Probably had to dodge some other shadow agencies while you were at it.”

He leaned against the chair. “You have no idea.”

“I have some idea,” She stared at him evenly like an Asari Commando that no doubt trained her. “I also have some idea that you know if you betray her again-“

“Throw me out of the airlock. Pelessaria already had that covered,” Reyes groaned, “as I’m sure the rest of the crew will remind me.”

“No, Reyes Vidal. I won’t throw you out of an airlock, and it won’t be quick. I’ll drag you into the heart of the Andromeda Initiative where you can’t crawl back into whatever hole you dug out of. It will make what Sloane did to you seem like nothing.”

Cora sipped her coffee one more time. “Now, go set up your terminals. Trade your information. Stay out of my way, and don’t give me a reason to follow through.” She left her coffee and walked out the door. He could feel her biotics thrumming and charging the air, making the hair on his arms stand up.

 _Shit_. He thought to himself.

 

 

“Wow, I was expecting Jaal to corner you first.” A male’s voice came from behind him and Reyes nearly jumped as he came face to face with Scott Ryder. “I mean… brotherly honor and all that... I should give you a punch in the face,” Scott swayed into the room.

“She said you had to be nice to me.” Reyes finished feeling a bit stung that she didn’t trust him.

“Oh, no. She said I wasn’t allowed to do any of that ‘fraternity shit.’ She takes away all the fun of being a brother sometimes.” Scott winked at him. “And I'm not allowed to punch you in the face.”

“Sara slapped me already.” He admitted.

"Well at least it was a slap and not her biotic right hook which I’ve had several black eyes from. Seriously, never steal that girl’s toy ship collection or hamster.” Scott joked.

“She has a hamster?” Reyes couldn’t help himself as he felt his lips tug into a smile.

“Yeah, the little guy managed to find its way to Andromeda, into the TEMPEST, and then into her heart with its tiny beady little eyes.” Scott laughed, and it almost shook the table. “I think she named it something like Roger? I don’t remember. At least it’s better than that damn Pyjak that she adopted.”

“A pyjak?” Reyes decided that there was a lot to like about Scott Ryder.

 

 

Routine was surprisingly easy to fall into. It was like picking up where he had left off in the Milky Way. “You are on my ship, you work.” She said to him shortly after he had settled and made a space for himself. He wasn’t surprised that she had organized a schedule. His duties aboard the Tempest would rotate with different members of the crew. He had to admit her determination to integrate him was impressive as it was clear that she was avoiding him.

It was impressive he had to admit given the size of the Tempest. Reyes averaged more random encounters with the Pyjak that he did Sara. He turned and looked at the creature as it sat staring at him. A week and a half out and Reyes was more he spent more time with Gil and Liam than he had with Sara. They took meals together with the rest of the crew. She was always on the opposite end of the room, always just a touch out of reach.

He would catch her eyes sometimes when he wasn’t supposed to. A lingering gaze on his mouth or abdomen when he was working. He would stretch out, let his shirt ride up as he worked on the Nomad, or assisted Gil with repairs. He had been a pilot once in another life and the work suited him fine.

The grease and labor adding a tantalizing bit of skin that he noticed she was drawn to if she knew it. It didn’t help that he thought Gil and Scott were in on the game. They would always call her down to the bay to help with repairs. She would always show up her engineer skills begging to be utilized.

It was a long night cycle in the darkness when he finally caught her alone. She was in the galley nursing what looked to be Rycnol. “Last I checked, you were not Krogan.” He playfully alerted her to his presence.

“According to Drack I am an honorary Krogan,” Sara twirled her glass. “How are you adjusting?”

“Well, Gil seems to have taken to me… and so has Scott.” He let the idea linger and tickle her brain. “Cora has threatened me only once. Pelessaria has had several very colorful explanations of what she’ll do to me if I double cross you again. The last one involved fire.”

The small smile alone was worth it.

“She won’t follow through. Peebee isn’t much of a planner.” She giggled to herself. “What do you want from the Benefactor?”

Reyes had been anticipating this question, he planned for many things, many outcomes. “That is between me and them.”

Sara scoffed. He was taken aback by the vivacious response to his statement. “Reyes Vidal and his secrets.” She gestured in the air around her. 

He didn’t let the hurt show on his face. This was meant to be a release for her and whatever she was feeling. “How many drinks is this?” He asked.

“Enough.” She growled and moved away from him.

He grabbed her wrist, not tight enough to hurt but to get her attention. “Sara…” He caught her hand as she passed him. His thumb caressing the inside of her palm, stopping her in her tracks as she turned towards him and met his eyes. She swallowed but didn’t make a movement. He stood. His hand drifting to the gunshot wound on her shoulder. “You are healing.”

“Lexi works wonders.” She shrugged him off eyes falling to the floor.

The cold air cracking around her as her lips curved into that sweet smile she had. “Sara,” He sighed, “I liked the way you looked at me. I didn’t want that to change.”

She removed her hand from his and wobbled a little bit. He hoped she remembered in the morning. “I believe it’s time for the Pathfinder to go to sleep. SAM-“

_Ryder has been making sure to stay hydrated at my insistence. She will most likely have a minor hangover._

Sara snorted and fell on Reyes. He moved to catch her and work her under his arm to help prop her up. He escorted her into her room and almost laughed as she crawled into bed. It was endearing as he brushed her hair out of her face as she curled up in the covers. “You should not do that again Pathfinder. We’re days from the Keeyah Si’yah.”

“Reyes?” She said yawning his name, “nothing has changed.”

 

 

 

“The Keelah Si'yah is on the monitor.” Suvi said staring hard ahead at the Ark in front of them. All of them had gathered in silence and stared ahead. “They are signaling for us Pathfinder.”

“There is nothing wrong with that ship.” Jaal said immediately.

“No, look over on the right side of it there is a field that is covering a portion of the hull… but it looks like it’s in working order.” Peebee pointed and they all saw it.

It was near pristine condition minus that one breach. The ship was space worthy. It could have easily found their way to the Nexus. They all exchanged glances. Reyes knew Sara was thinking of the messages she had found, the transcriptions of monsters.

“They are hailing again, Pathfinder.” Kallo interrupted their silence.

“Patch them through.” Sara commanded and stood up straight. As the screen in front of them came to life they were face to face with a Quarian female. Her suit was gray with strange sashes. “I am Pathfinder Sara Ryder with the Andromeda Initiative. We are responding to an SOS Comm buoy that had been located at the edge of our system.”

Silence as the Quarian looked them all over its illuminated eyes went over each of their faces. Reyes was certain she must have known he was hiding in the back. In the darkness. Whoever she was it wasn’t one of the few Quarians he had been acquainted with. “I am Captain Jaenni’Shurah vas Leedin. The Ark is in bad shape and we are concerned about a contamination breach in one of the lower hulls.”

“I have an engineer with us that can help assess the damage. We can send a small boarding party suited up.” Sara offered full of bravado and bravery.

“We warned you to keep away.” The Captain cut her off.

“Where is Captain Raela’Coll vas Leedin?” Reyes cut in, his voice ice as he walked from the shadows. The light of the projection illuminated the side of his face. One of the few things he still had to his advantage was the manifests for the ship. “The Pathfinder was instructed to make contact with Maeko Matsuo. Raela’Coll promised me a drink when we found her.”

Sara watched him cautiously. His back was straight, his shoulders square. He wondered how different he must look now. A pilot, an agent, a smuggler, and now a new man all together. How this new Galaxy had changed him. “What happened to the human Pathfinder?” Jeanni’Shurah ignored him.

“Alec Ryder passed away during a mission.” Sara’s voice was calm and even. “I inherited the role of Pathfinder.”

“And the SAM unit?” Jeanni’Shurah asked her.

 _Affirmative, Captain vas Leedin._ SAM spoke up.

“Pathfinder we will allow you and only you to board the ship.” Jaenni’Shurah commanded. “You will come on board and Maeko will be waiting.”

Sara nodded he could see the fear in her eyes as she tried to hide it deep down. She was walking into a den of snakes.

“I’m not letting you go alone.” Scott walked up to his sister, his hand flexing as if it couldn’t decide if he wanted to grab her close.

“I have to go alone, and if anything happens. You nuke the site from orbit.” She elbowed him.

“No.” Scott was adamant. “They could kill you.”

 _Sara Ryder will not be alone_ , SAM spoke up.

“You have to trust me.” Sara insisted. She pulled up her omni-tool. “They’ve given us docking procedures. Kallo I need you to follow them to a T. However, if things go south I want you all to get out of here.”

“We are NOT leaving you.” Liam spoke up first. His body filled with energy and he paced.

“Pathfinder, a moment.” Reyes followed her into the airlock.

“I have to suit up.” The blush returned to her face. He liked the look of it on her. “With me.” She motioned for him to hand her parts of her suit.

“If you just let me have another moment I could have gotten us leeway to get more onboard.” Reyes pressed. “Jeanni’Shurah vas Leedin was not on the ships manifest.”

“Running into potential certain death is what I do.” She shrugged him off carefully putting on her gauntlets. She looked around for her helmet and turned to see it being carefully held in his hands. 

“I wish you wouldn’t,” He breathed barely able to make sense of the raw emotion coming from him. There was so much at stake here all on her shoulders. He handed her the helmet and she clicked it into place.

“Someone has to.” She gave her that small smile and they both knew that if she hadn’t put her helmet on he would have kissed her.

“The second corporation is ExoGeni. They headed up the colony aspects of this operation.” The realization washed over her face, no doubt remembering what happened to the Colonists on Feros back before they came here. He took her hand in his. “Be careful, Pathfinder.”

“I will.” She promised and the airlock sealed behind her.

 

 

The Tempest approached the Quarian Ark as carefully as they would the Nexus. The ship itself seemed to be in working condition as they pulled into its port and connected their airlock in the docking procedures. The light inside looked like it was off, or the windows were tinted so they couldn’t see inside.

  
SAM’s voice filled the bridge of the Tempest. 

_The Pathfinder would like me to inform you that there are Geth inside of the Keelah Si’yah. The metric she used was “fuckton” which is erroneous as there are only ten._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A warning the next chapter is going to be long. Thank you for your patience as I am working on completing this. Also dear passengers of the Keelah Si'yah I am so... so sorry
> 
> And next chapter you get to find out my theory on who the Benefactor is :)


End file.
